Cold Spaghetti Salad (Gluten and Dairy Free)
Modified from NourishingMealscom This recipe uses only half the pasta as the original recipe as the original had too much pasta and the other ingredients were lost.
Modified from NourishingMealscom This recipe uses only half the pasta as the original recipe as the original had too much pasta and the other ingredients were lost.
- salt and pepper
- 1 large onion chopped
- 12 ounces tinkyada spaghetti noodles try penne as an alternative
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 4 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Carbohydrate 49.2389453945301 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 34.1842993708399 g
- Fiber 7.48933188270521 g
- Protein 13.3214696827588 g
- Saturated Fat 1.61678800101367 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (240g)
- Sodium 256.382895380193 mg
- Sugar 41.7496135118249 g
- Trans Fat 21.3834013593228 g
- Calories 383 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook the noodles according to the packages directions, though cook them al dente. Rinse with cold water in a colander to stop cooking. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and chopped onions. Saute for about 10 minutes being careful not to brown too much. Keep the heat low enough to cook the onions until completely soft and flavorful (I add a few pinches of sea salt to the cooking onions to help with this). Then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Watch the temp so the garlic doesn't burn. Remove from heat.
- Add the cooked and cooled noddles to a large bowl. Then add in the cooked onions and garlic, and all of the remaining ingredients. Toss well. I use quite a bit of black pepper to season this. Add salt to taste.
- Tip: To toast the pine nuts use a dry skillet and place over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and keep them moving in the pan for a few minutes until lightly browned. Watch them closely as they can burn easily!
- Optional: add a touch of cayenne pepper powder for a little heat
A common error in cold pasta dishes is overloading the bowl with dry starch while letting the aromatics and fats fade into the background. Achieving a balanced cold noodle dish requires restraint with the pasta volume and deliberate attention to every other component. Gluten-free pasta behaves differently than standard wheat noodles, often requiring immediate rinsing under cold water to halt residual cooking and prevent a sticky surface texture that repels dressing.
Building deep flavor in a chilled dish starts at the stovetop with the onion and garlic base. Sautéing the chopped onions over medium heat for roughly 10 minutes draws out their natural sugars without introducing aggressive browning or bitter caramelized notes. Adding a few pinches of sea salt early in this process collapses the cellular walls of the alliums faster. Introduce the minced garlic during the final two minutes of cooking so the volatile aromatic compounds soften without scorching against the hot pan surface.
Texture relies heavily on contrasting elements within the bowl. While the soft onions and tender tomatoes provide moisture, toasted pine nuts introduce necessary crunch and fat. Keep the pine nuts moving constantly in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they release their natural oils and turn golden, monitoring them closely to prevent burning. Swapping the spaghetti for penne works well if you prefer a shape that catches heavy pieces of kalamata olives and chopped fresh parsley more efficiently during the final toss.
