Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad is basically all of your favorite things in one bowl: salmon, spinach, cherry tomatoes and lemon. A fresh, summery, in-season mix of fabulous ingredients.
Being Italian, I can confidently say that I am a pasta person through and through. I grew up eating pasta and gravy with my cousins, filling my belly with creamy Alfredo pasta on Christmas eve and having homemade meatballs on Sundays.
Those were the glory days alright. My gluten filled glory days.
Now that I've been living gluten-free for almost two years, I have embraced a new world of pasta. Rice {and quinoa of course} have entered my life in a big way. In a way I never thought it would be possible, especially when I've inherited that pasta gene, but I no longer miss that gluten-filled pasta that I once knew and loved.
But my belly is thanking me for it.
I'll be the first to tell you that gluten-free pasta is not the same as its glutinous counterpart. But I've come to appreciate its unique texture and whole-grain flavor. But most importantly, gluten-free pasta has allowed me to continue to embrace my Italian heritage and has given my body the chance to love Italian food again.
Pasta salad was one of those Italian dishes that was never my thing. There's always been something about it that threw me for a loop. I mean, I'm the kind of girl who likes her gluten-free pasta smothered in tomato gravy or a creamy “cheese” sauce. Oily, cold pasta was the last thing I wanted.
But I've realized now it was just that I'd never found that perfect recipe.
One of the things I love most about pasta is it's flexibility. It's one of those ingredients that isn't stressful. It's easy going.
Relaxed.
It loves all types of different ingredients, but one of its favorite thing to hangout with is vegetables. They're soul mates. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.
And this pasta salad is like nothing I've had before. Its bright and colorful, but also light and satisfying at the same time.
It's basically all of my favorite things In one bowl: salmon, spinach, cherry tomatoes and lemon. A fresh, summery, in-season mix of fabulous ingredients.
This is a gluten-free pasta salad even my Italian family would love.
Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 8 oz smoked salmon chopped
- 2 cups spinach finely chopped
- 15 cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 medium shallot diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the box instructions.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl and add the salmon, spinach and cherry tomatoes. Toss to combine.
- Whisk together the garlic, shallots, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and pour over the pasta. Mix until fully combined.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if you want the added heat). Serve warm or cold.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
