Fresh, crisp and packed with plant-based protein and fiber. Chickpea pasta salad is the perfect make ahead workday lunch!
Jump to RecipePasta salads are perfect for summertime! I especially love making them ahead of time for a grab-and-go workday lunch. And using chickpea pasta is an easy way to add some plant-based protein for a balanced and nutritious dish. Plus, all this produce just tastes so much better when it’s actually in season!
Please note there are Amazon affiliate links in this post. While the cost to you is the same, I do earn a small commission on any sales made through the links in this post. I would never recommend anything that I don’t believe in–thank you for your support!
To prep this dish, start by preparing the chickpea pasta according to the package directions. Then it’s time to cut all the produce up. Halve the tomatoes, chop the bell pepper, halve and quarter the cucumber, and dice the purple onion. If you didn’t buy pre-sliced kalamata olives, you’ll want to halve them at this time too.
Next, prepare the dressing. Using a small bowl (or the liquid measuring cup you measured your olive oil into, if you’re like me and want one less dish to wash), whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
Once your pasta is cooked and cooled, your produce is prepped, and your dressing is made, mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.
Now you’re all ready to serve! This chickpea pasta salad ends up tasting even better after sitting for a couple of hours. Just make sure to refrigerate promptly and enjoy your leftovers within 3-5 days.
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and your thoughts in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me @HookomOnHealth and use the #HookomOnHealth so that I can see your creations online. Enjoy!
Please note there are Amazon affiliate links in this post. While the cost to you is the same, I do earn a small commission on any sales made through the links in this post. I would never recommend anything that I don’t believe in–thank you for your support!
Chickpea Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 8oz box chickpea pasta
- 1 medium cucumber quartered and sliced
- 1 bell pepper (any color) chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 medium purple onion diced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives halved
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare chickpea pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until cooled.
- In a large bowl, gently stir together cooled pasta, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, and ground black pepper until combined to form a dressing.
- Drizzle dressing over pasta and vegetables and gently stir to coat.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.
- You can substitute regular pasta, black bean pasta, or another pasta for the chickpea pasta if desired.
- Bump up the protein by adding a drained can of chickpeas, black beans, or your other favorite bean.