Lemon Herb Chickpea Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Refreshing protein-packed salad with chickpea pasta, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 ounces chickpea pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped

→ Fresh Herbs

05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Additions

14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
15 - 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook chickpea pasta according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water until cooled completely. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, chopped parsley, dill, and mint.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Add cooled cooked pasta to the vegetable and herb mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese and sliced kalamata olives if desired.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon dressing wakes up everything it touches, making even simple vegetables taste like something special
  • Its the kind of salad that actually gets better after sitting in the fridge, so leftovers are a gift
  • You can throw it together in under half an hour but it looks like you put way more thought into it
02 -
  • Chickpea pasta continues to soften as it sits, so if you are making this ahead, slightly undercook it to keep some texture
  • The dressing may look thin at first, but it will thicken as it coats the pasta and vegetables
  • This salad needs that chilling time, the difference in flavor between freshly tossed and rested is remarkable
03 -
  • Rinse the chickpea pasta thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, it is much harder to zest a lemon that has already been squeezed
  • If the salad seems dry after chilling, add a splash more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon before serving
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