SCD/Grain-Free Cheddar Beetroot Pasta Salad

I LOVE a good fresh & light pasta salad dish on warmer Spring or Summer days! The combination of all of my favorite herbs, produce, and chopped nuts make this recipe the ultimate healthier recipe…

A Healthier Pasta Salad Recipe!

This pasta salad recipe is truly my summertime version of comfort food. It’s absolutely bursting with flavors and fun textures, but still light enough to not weigh you down like many pasta dishes do. The fresh crisp veggies balance out the sturdy texture of the red lentil pasta, soft beets, and creamy sharp cheddar perfectly!

This healthier pasta salad is made with red lentil pasta for a high-protein, grain-free, SCD-friendly twist. I’ve been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) for almost 2 whole years now. To this day, red lentil pasta is one of my favorite gut-healthy food swaps. With some foods (bagels, pastries, etc.), the grain-free copycats just don’t hit the same as the tradition versions. Red lentil pasta however… THAT is a different story. I almost prefer it to regular wheat-based pastas for pasta salads since the leftovers don’t become as soggy (thanks to the protein & fiber!).

I also use olive oil in this recipe to pack in as many extra polyphenols and and antioxidants as possible. Olive oil is not only SO much more flavorful than refined canola or sunflower oil, but it’s also anti-inflammatory and! For this reason alone, I put olive oil on almost everything these days, especially if I’m eating it cold. Over the years, I’ve found olive oil to be incredibly healing for my autoimmune disease symptoms. All it took was a simple swap from refined oils to a high-quality extra virgin olive oil!

Study: “Health Effects of Phenolic Compounds Found in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil”

Easy Meal Prep!

Pasta salads are an absolute staple for me when it comes to preparing my “on-the-go” meals each week. Being in grad school has truly made me realize how few hours there really are in a day! Time is usually not something that I have an abundance of so I’m always trying to create recipes that require minimal time, effort, and dishes while still being fresh and delicious enough to actually look forward to.

I’m one of those people who HATES leftovers… so this is really saying something!

In addition to being a fantastic stand-alone dish (the pasta itself has 24 grams of protein!!), this veggie-packed pasta salad is a delicious side for Air Fried Salmon, Spicy Tuna Cakes, or crispy tempeh.

What You’ll Need:

Red Lentil Pasta

Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pistachios

Sea salt flakes

How to Make SCD Pasta Salad:

Step 1: Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Drain & rinse it with cold water immediately! THIS IS KEY! Prepare & dice all of the veggies and other ingredients and set aside.

Step 2: Thoroughly whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt & pepper together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the diced cucumbers, cooked beets, tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, & chopped pistachios.

Step 3: Toss everything together to serve right away OR store it in the refrigerator overnight in an air-tight container! I would argue that it’s even better the next day!

More of My Favorite Easy Dinners:

• Spicy Air-fried Paleo Tuna Cakes
• Grain-Free Spaghetti Fritters
• Mediterranean Cashew Spread
• Grain-Free Cheeseburger Pasta Bake
• Single-Serve Spaghetti Squash Tuna Casserole

Print