Gluten-Free Pasta Salad (Rice/Corn), Tuna, Black Olives & Olive Oil (Modern wheat-free alternative)
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A modern wheat-free lunch: rice-corn pasta, chunky tuna, black olives, and a lemon-olive oil dressing, portioned to stay low FODMAP.
A wheat-free pasta salad that finally isn't the sad, starchy compromise the old versions made you expect. Rice-and-corn pasta keeps the structure, tuna brings protein and omega-3 fat, and black olives and olive oil supply the Mediterranean slide. It's a modern low-FODMAP lunch that packs, travels, and tastes like something you'd actually want at a picnic.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 160g (5.5 oz) dry gluten-free pasta (rice and/or corn blend)
- 🫗 1 can (120g drained) tuna in olive oil, drained
- 🫗 12 black olives (about 40g), halved
- 🫗 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 🫗 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 🫗 60g cherry tomatoes, halved (the portion-controlled amount)
- 🫗 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley and basil, mixed
- 🫗 Salt and black pepper
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, per the packet — gluten-free pasta goes overdone fast, so check it a minute before the time says.
Drain, rinse briefly under cold water, and shake dry.
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Toss the pasta through the dressing, then fold in the tuna in chunky flakes.
Add the olives, tomatoes, and herbs, and fold gently.
Serve at room temperature or chill for 20 minutes — both work.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Boiling gluten-free pasta past al dente; it turns to mush in the bowl.
- ✕
Over-mixing so the tuna strands and disappears.
- ✕
Dressing the salad too far ahead, so the pasta drinks all the dressing and turns dry.
🔄 Variations
Add drained, rinsed canned champignons for a mushroom twist.
Swap the tuna for flaked cooked salmon.
Add peeled cucumber dice for extra cool crunch.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Keeps 2 days in the fridge; add a splash of olive oil after chilling, since pasta drinks dressing.
- 📦
Serve cold from the fridge or let it come to room temperature first.
💡 Chef Tips
Tip 1: Rinsing gluten-free pasta after draining washes off the extra starch that makes it sticky.
Tip 2: Rice-corn blends hold their shape better cold than plain rice pasta.
Tip 3: A dozen olives split between two is the comfortable low-FODMAP sweet spot for this dish.
Tip 4: Keep the tuna in chunks, not mush — fold it in gently so it stays flaky.
❓ FAQ
Is gluten-free pasta automatically low FODMAP? Not always — check for added onion or garlic powder; a plain rice-and-corn blend is the safe pick.
Why is the tomato portion called out? Tomatoes stay low FODMAP at a modest portion, so this recipe keeps them small and deliberately so.
Can I eat this during elimination? Yes — rice-corn pasta, tuna, olives, and olive oil are all low-FODMAP friendly; just keep the tomato at the listed amount.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →