This healthy Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad is a delicious way to enjoy a ton of fresh Mediterranean flavors in one delicious salad that I know you’ll crave. Toss al dente pasta in a homemade vinaigrette and combine with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, creamy feta, and fresh herbs for the quick side or all-in-one meal.
This Loaded Chickpea Pasta Salad is Packed With All the Mediterranean Flavors You Love
Pasta salads are the very best kind of salads, am I right? I make summer pasta salads on repeat all season long because they’re so easy to make, and a great way to pack in some extra fiber from veggies and beans. That’s exactly the spirit of this chickpea pasta salad recipe!
After making a quick homemade dressing, all you have to do is drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and then pick the rest of your favorite Mediterranean inspired mix-ins and do a little chopping. I love the combination of juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers and red onion, olives, pickled peppers, and creamy feta. But there are so many amazing options to choose from.
Every forkful is bright and fresh and full of satisfying texture from the vegetables, chickpeas, and cheese!
Serve this Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad on its own for an easy lunch or side when you’re hosting friends and family. Or add your favorite protein for an all-in-one meal. There are so many ways to enjoy this recipe, you’ll want to make it all summer long, too.
Chickpea Pasta Salad Ingredients
Pasta: I love using orzo in this pasta salad but any pasta shape will work! You can also use a gluten-free or high-protein pasta.
Vegetables: Feel free to get creative and add other veggies that you love! I love the mix of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and pepperoncini peppers, but bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, or crisp lettuce would also be great substitutes.
Cheese: I like using feta in my Mediterranean pasta salad. It adds the perfect salty bite that really wakes up the pasta salad.
Homemade Vinaigrette: To tie everything together, you’ll make a homemade vinaigrette from I olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
How to Make A Veggie-Forward Chickpea Pasta Salad
(full instructions in the recipe card, below)
Cook the pasta. Be sure to boil your orzo in well-salted water for flavor, then drain and rinse with cold water to remove excess starches. Don’t overcook your orzo! Boil just until al dente, so it has a little bit of a bite and doesn’t turn mushy as it stores.
Combine with the Add-Ins: Chop your veggies into bite-sized pieces (the red onion can be thinly sliced). Then toss with the orzo, cheese, and fresh herbs.
Make the vinaigrette. The bold, punchy vinaigrette really ties all of the separate elements of the pasta salad together. The dijon mustard works as an emulsifier to give you a slightly creamy dressing that coats every piece of orzo.
Toss. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and stir until well combined. This recipe makes enough dressing to coat the pasta and vegetables, but you can always add more if you prefer a more dressed chickpea pasta salad.
From here, you can either dig right in or store the pasta salad in the fridge for up to 3 days. I love making this chickpea pasta salad recipe a day ahead when I’m hosting a gathering, so the flavors can come together. I also like to make a little extra dressing just in case the past soaks up the dressing and I need a little extra.
What to Serve With Chickpea Pasta Salad
As good as this pasta salad is as a side dish or on its own, I love to pair it with Grilled Shrimp, Pan Seared Chicken Breast, or my favorite Greek Chicken Meatballs to make an even heartier meal. Then it has everything you need – lots of veggies, carbs, dairy, and satisfying protein that will keep you feeling nourished.
I hope you give this Chickpea Pasta Salad Recipe a try! It’s hearty, flavorful, and simple to make! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.
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Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This healthy Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad is a delicious way to enjoy a ton of fresh Mediterranean flavors in one delicious salad that I know you’ll crave. Toss al dente pasta in a homemade vinaigrette and combine with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, creamy feta, and fresh herbs for the quick side or all-in-one meal.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo
- 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, halved
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 1 cup Persian cucumber, sliced in half moons
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (plus more for serving)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for serving)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus more for serving)
- 6 oz feta cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Once al dente, drain, rinse the pasta with cold water.
- Add the pasta and all of the other pasta salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: Add the dressing ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined.
- Garnish with additional fresh herbs.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Ashlea’s Tips
Season to taste. Be sure to give the pasta salad a taste before serving and add salt, pepper, herbs, or dressing to your liking.
Don’t overcook your pasta. Cook the orzo to al dente so that it still has a bit of bite. The last thing you want is mushy orzo in your salad.
Drain and rinse the orzo under cool water to remove any excess starch before adding it to your mixing bowl and assembling the salad.
Salt your water while cooking the pasta to ensure that it has plenty of flavor. There’s no need to add oil to the pasta water.
Chop the veggies evenly. Cut the produce into bite-sized pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Store. You can store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a quick stir to redistribute the ingredients, and enjoy cold.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Loren Runion Photography
Ashley has the best pasta salad recipes. The pepperoncini really knocked this out of the park. Thank you!