Mediterranean Pasta Salad Chickpeas (Print View)

Fresh Mediterranean pasta tossed with chickpeas, veggies, feta, and tangy olive oil dressing for a bright, wholesome dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

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

→ Beans & Cheese

02 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/4 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

# Directions:

01 - Boil short pasta in salted water following package directions until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, and parsley.
03 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper together until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta carefully to preserve texture without breaking the cheese.
06 - Taste for seasoning adjustments; refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It gets better the longer it sits, so you can actually make it ahead and forget about dinner stress.
  • No mayonnaise means you can eat it without feeling heavy, and it's genuinely satisfying enough to be a main course.
  • The feta and olives do all the flavor work, so there's no fussing with complicated seasonings.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse on the pasta—if you skip it, everything will be gluey and sad, and you'll wonder why this isn't working.
  • The feta gets softer and kind of melts into the dressing if you dress the salad too early, which is actually wonderful if you like things creamy, but if you want it to stay distinct and crumbly, add it right before serving.
03 -
  • Pat the tomatoes dry with a paper towel before cutting them so they don't release water into the salad and make everything watery.
  • If you forget to chill the pasta and it's still warm, the dressing will be absorbed more quickly, which is fine but means you might want to add a little extra oil before serving.
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