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

Units Scale

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.