My family’s favorite quick and flavorful pasta salad—perfect for lunch. The only thing you need to cook is the pasta; everything else is simply mixed together for a wholesome, satisfying meal.
For over a month now my husband has been following a dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free diet. At first it felt like a lot had been taken away, but with some research and creativity it turned out to be manageable. In fact, he’s lost about 15 pounds and is back to his wedding-day weight. I’m proud of him — and yes, I’m biased when I say he looks great!
One of the surprising benefits of his new eating pattern is that it isn’t restrictive in the usual sense: there’s no calorie counting or rigid portion control, yet he’s losing weight. I, on the other hand, gained a few pounds—maybe his approach really is better for him. As a food blogger, I happily cook and taste lots of things, so adapting to new ingredients has been part of the process.
This recipe is gluten-free when you use corn or brown rice pasta instead of wheat-based noodles. Corn pasta, which we often buy from Trader Joe’s, is more flavorful though a bit different in texture compared with regular pasta. It works wonderfully in this salad.
He often requests this for lunch because it’s so easy to make. My whole family—including our four-year-old—loves it. Cook the pasta, toss everything together, and you have a truly tasty and EASY pasta salad in minutes. Enjoy!
If you enjoy these recipes and want updates, please subscribe to the blog or join the site. You can also follow the Instagram and Facebook pages for more recipes and photos. Thanks for visiting and happy browsing!
Ingredients
8–10 oz penne or your favorite pasta (use corn or brown rice pasta for a gluten-free option)
1 can tuna in olive oil
A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
8–10 grape tomatoes (or 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (or your preferred seasoning blend)
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Procedure
Cook the pasta according to package directions until just al dente, then drain.
Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the tuna, chopped cilantro, and tomatoes. Gently but thoroughly toss to combine. If the salad seems dry, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil to add flavor and moisture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you’d like more recipes and updates, please subscribe to the posts and follow the social pages for the latest content. Thanks for visiting and happy browsing!