Mediterranean Pasta Salad | It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

This Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad is contemporary, crunchy, creamy, and full of taste! Made with tender pasta, hearty chickpeas, crisp greens, olives, contemporary herbs, and a zippy do-it-yourself dressing, this straightforward vegan pasta salad is ideal for meal prep, potlucks, BBQs, lunches, or straightforward summer time dinners.

Pasta salads are one in every of my favourite meals as a result of they’re straightforward to make, even simpler to meal prep, and in some way style even higher after an evening within the fridge. This Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad is particularly good as a result of each chunk has one thing completely different happening: tender pasta, creamy chickpeas, crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers, briny olives, and a brilliant, zippy dressing that ties all the things collectively.

The chickpeas make it hearty sufficient to be a meal by itself, whereas all of the contemporary greens maintain it feeling mild. Whether or not you are packing lunches for the week, bringing a dish to a BBQ, or simply want a straightforward dinner ready within the fridge, that is one I come again to repeatedly.

Bowl of Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad with fresh vegetables and vegan feta.

Why This Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad Is All the time in My Meal Prep Rotation

Unbelievable for meal prep: This salad shops properly within the fridge, so you may make it forward of time and have a meal able to go. (I like this dense bean salad for a similar motive.)
Contemporary and satisfying: Chickpeas add protein and fiber, making this way more filling than your common pasta salad.
Excellent for summer time: It is nice for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and dinner al fresco.
Straightforward to customise: Swap the greens, olives, or herbs primarily based on what you could have available or what you like most.

Ingredients for Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad.

Substances for Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad

Brief pasta: Penne, fusilli, rotini, or bowties all work properly.
Chickpeas: I normally use canned for comfort, however when you’ve cooked your personal from dried, these work completely too.
Greens: Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pink bell pepper, and pink onion.
Olives: Any sort you want!
Contemporary parsley: Provides brightness and freshness.
Vegan feta (elective): You need to use store-bought or homemade vegan feta.
Selfmade dressing: For this you may want olive oil, pink wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.

How you can Make Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad

Prepare dinner the Pasta: Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook dinner the pasta till al dente. Drain and rinse underneath chilly water till fully cool to cease the cooking course of.

Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk collectively the olive oil, pink wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper till properly mixed.

Pouring dressing into bowl of vegetables and chickpeas.

Assemble the Salad: Add the cooled pasta, chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, pink onion, olives, and parsley to a big bowl.

Tossing Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad in bowl.

Toss The whole lot Collectively: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss properly till all the things is evenly coated. For the perfect taste, refrigerate the salad for 20 to half-hour. High with vegan feta if utilizing.

Ideas and Variations

Minimize all the things bite-sized: So it is simple to get a little bit little bit of all the things in each forkful.
Style earlier than serving: Pasta salads nearly at all times want one other pinch of salt earlier than serving, so style and regulate as wanted.
Use what you could have: Different scrumptious additions embody chopped artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, avocado, contemporary dill, or further herbs. You actually can clear out the fridge with this pasta salad!
Save a little bit dressing: Should you’re making this forward, reserve a tablespoon or two of dressing to stir in to freshen it up earlier than serving.

Overhead closeup of Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad.

Serving Ideas

Listed here are my favourite methods to serve it:

Storage

Retailer leftover Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Give it toss earlier than serving, because the dressing could settle on the backside.

Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad in serving dish.

Should you do this Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad recipe, tell us by leaving a remark and ranking it. I would love to listen to what you suppose! Share your creation within the It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken Community (that is the place we’re all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.

Bowl of pasta salad with text overlay that reads Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad (Straightforward & Contemporary!)

This Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad is contemporary, crunchy, creamy, and full of taste! Made with tender pasta, hearty chickpeas, crisp greens, olives, contemporary herbs, and a zippy do-it-yourself dressing, this straightforward vegan pasta salad is ideal for meal prep, potlucks, BBQs, lunches, or straightforward summer time dinners.

Prep: 15 minutes

Prepare dinner: 10 minutes

Whole: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

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Substances

For the salad:

▢ 12 oz short pasta, (corresponding to penne, fusilli, corkscrew, or bowties)
▢ 1 can (15 oz/ 425 g) chickpeas, (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas) drained and rinsed
▢ 1 cup cucumber, diced
▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
▢ 1 pink bell pepper, diced
▢ ½ cup pink onion, finely diced
▢ ½ cup sliced olives
▢ ½ cup contemporary parsley, chopped
▢ ¼ cup vegan feta, (elective)

Directions

Prepare dinner the pasta: Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Prepare dinner the pasta in accordance with bundle instructions till al dente. Drain and rinse underneath chilly water till fully cooled. This helps cease the cooking and retains the pasta from turning into mushy.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, add the olive oil, pink wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk properly or shake till emulsified.
Assemble the salad: In a big mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, pink onion, olives, and parsley. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss properly till evenly coated.
Chill (elective however advisable): For the perfect taste, refrigerate for 20 to half-hour earlier than serving to permit the flavors to meld.
Serve: High with vegan feta, if utilizing, and revel in!

Notes

Meal prep pleasant: This salad retains properly within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Give it a toss earlier than serving, because the dressing could settle on the backside.
Oil-free possibility: For an oil-free dressing, exchange the olive oil with:

3 tablespoons hummus + 2 to 4 tablespoons water, or
2 tablespoons tahini + 3 to 4 tablespoons water

Gluten-free possibility: Use your favourite gluten-free pasta. For finest texture, rinse the pasta properly after cooking and keep away from overcooking, as gluten-free pasta can develop into mushy extra shortly.
Make it further satisfying: Add diced avocado, chopped artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, or further vegan feta for much more taste and texture.
Storage: Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.

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Delicacies: American, Mediterranean

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