Keto Pasta Salad
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My keto pasta salad recipe combines keto pasta with cheese, salami, and olives, tossed with a zesty dressing. It’s a foolproof appetizer or side dish with only 3 grams of net carbs.
I know that pasta salad and a keto diet sound like an oxymoron, but once you try my keto pasta salad recipe, you’ll think otherwise.
For this recipe, I combined al dente keto macaroni noodles with two types of cheese, salami, and fresh veggies. Everything’s tossed in a simple Italian dressing to infuse every bite with flavor.
I tested a few packaged keto pasta brands (no, my keto pasta will not work in this!) to see which would hold up best in the dressing. In testing, I found that Pete’s Low Carb pasta and Aviate Keto Pasta held up best and tasted like the real deal pasta.
It’s one of my favorite keto salads because it also makes a great meal. It’s one of the few dishes that no one will know it’s low carb.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to customize. I’ve made this with whatever I have in the fridge- pepperoni instead of salami, cherry tomatoes instead of grape, feta instead of mozzarella- it always works.
- Tastes like the real thing. Mario, in the comments, brought this to a potluck, and no one could tell it was low carb. That is always the goal.
- It’s great for meal prep. I make it the night before- the dressing soaks into the pasta overnight and the flavor is notably better the next day.
- You can serve it warm or cold. When it’s fresh, I like to serve it warm, but when I’m hosting, I like to make it ahead of time and serve it cold.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I made this for a friend’s potluck and no one could tell it was low carb. It was such a hit, it’s become my new go-to pasta salad.” – Mario
Key Ingredients
- Keto macaroni pasta. My original recipe used Great Low Carb Bakery rotini pasta, but they’ve recently changed their formula, and it doesn’t work as well. My new go-to recommendations are Pete’s Low Carb or Aviate. If you want to make your own, try my almond flour pasta recipe.
- Grape tomatoes. Sliced in half. I prefer grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes) over regular ones as they won’t get squished.
- Mozzarella cheese. I prefer fresh mozzarella balls (also known as mozzarella pearls) because they disperse more evenly in a salad. You can also use baby bocconcini if you can’t find the pearls.
- Olives. Use a mix of black olives and green olives, pitted and sliced. Black olives are milder, green olives are brinier. Using both adds complexity to the salad.
- Red onion. I prefer red onions to white ones, as they don’t overpower the salad.
- Salami. Optional, but it adds a punch of flavor. Deli sausage or pepperoni also works, just keep an eye out and make sure there’s no added sugar.
- Italian dressing. The staple for a pasta salad. Alternatively, you can combine red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil or make any of my keto salad dressings.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated. It melts into the dressing more easily and has a stronger flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make keto pasta salad
Step 1- Cook the pasta. Boil the keto pasta to al dente, drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2- Mix. Add the pasta and remaining ingredients (except the dressing) and combine. Toss in the dressing.
Step 3- Serve. Serve the salad as is, or keep it in the fridge until cold.
Arman’s recipe tips
- The pasta should be mostly cooled before mixing. Otherwise, you risk melting the mozzarella cheese.
- If you’re not serving it immediately, I suggest drizzling a little EVOO over the pasta to prevent it from becoming overly starchy and sticky.
- Where to buy keto pasta. I’ve seen Pete’s low carb in Whole Foods and some Kroger’s, but it’s easiest to find them on Amazon, and usually the cheapest option.
Recipe variations
- Swap the veggies. Try some diced cucumber, bell peppers, or even raw broccoli.
- Protein swap. I’ve recently made this with Andouille chicken sausage or spicy turkey pepperoni, and it was delicious.
- Dressing swap. I sometimes use a simple mix of olive oil and vinegar, or thin out some keto ranch dressing.
Storage and make-ahead
To store: Pasta salad should be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
To make ahead: I’ve had success making this pasta salad up to 48 hours in advance. Simply keep it covered in the fridge until ready to serve. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits- if it’s too thick, add a splash of olive oil to loosen things up.
Keto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces keto pasta * See notes
- 1/2 cup black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup green olives sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 large red onion chopped
- 1/2 cup mozzarella balls or baby boccocini
- 1 cup Salami chopped
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup keto salad dressing
Instructions
- Cook your pasta as directed, until just al dente. Drain and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta to a mixing bowl. Add the black olives, green olives, grape tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella cheese, salami, and parmesan cheese. Add the dressing and mix until just incorporated.
- Transfer to a salad bowl and serve immediately, or refrigerate it for at least an hour, to chill.
Notes
Nutrition
More keto salads
- Keto potato salad– I use cauliflower to mimic potatoes, and it’s hard to tell the difference.
- Keto chicken salad– My partner enjoys this salad at least once a week.
- Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing– Who knew that warming a dressing with bacon could transform some basic greens?
- Big Mac salad– I purposely developed my Big Mac sauce recipe to make this salad.
- Steak salad– My favorite dinnertime salad that actually keeps you full.
Where do you buy Great Low Carb pasta?
Can you post a picture of it
Hi Teresa! Sure, here it is- https://amzn.to/47PdGXi
I actually bought only once keto pasta (like cognac pasta). It was good and interesting.
Love to hear that, Mario!
So “baby boccocini” is actually small bowlss of mozzarella? I like those soooo much.
This I must prepare for friend that is on keto high fat diet !