Mediterranean Pasta Salad Chickpeas (Print Version)

Fresh pasta combined with chickpeas, feta, and crisp veggies dressed in olive oil and lemon.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

→ Beans & Cheese

02 - 14 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 4 oz crumbled feta cheese

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cucumber, diced
06 - ½ red onion, finely chopped
07 - ½ red bell pepper, diced
08 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled feta cheese without breaking it up excessively.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste and refrigerate for 15 minutes to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day, which means less work and more flavor when you need it most.
  • No mayonnaise means it won't turn weird in the fridge or at a picnic.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables you have lying around and it still works.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta under cold water or it will keep cooking and turn to mush by the time you serve it.
  • Don't add the feta until the very end or it'll break down and make the whole salad cloudy.
  • If you dress it too early, the pasta will drink up all the oil and you'll be left with something dry and sad.
03 -
  • Toast the chickpeas in a dry pan for a few minutes before adding them if you want a little extra texture and nuttiness.
  • Use a jar with a tight lid to shake the dressing instead of whisking, it emulsifies faster and you'll have one less bowl to wash.
  • If you're making this ahead, hold back half the dressing and toss it in just before serving so nothing gets soggy.
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