Chickpea Pasta Salad
A vibrant and protein-packed pasta salad perfect for lunch or picnics, combining fresh vegetables, chickpeas, and a tangy dressing.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces short pasta
Chickpeas
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can 15 ounces
Vegetables
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1.5 cups cucumber diced
- 0.5 cup Kalamata olives or black olives
- 0.5 packed cup sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil, drained and chopped
- 0.33 cup red onion chopped
- 0.5 cup corn canned or frozen boiled if frozen
Herbs and Fruit
- 0.5 cup parsley finely chopped
- 1 large avocado diced
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard American or Dijon
- 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.125 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
- Add chickpeas to the dressing, stir to coat, and set aside to marinate.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, drain, rinse with cold water, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, corn, parsley, and avocado to the pasta. Toss with marinated chickpeas and dressing.
- Season to taste and let sit for 15 minutes. Add avocado just before serving if prepping ahead.
Notes
This salad is versatile; add tofu, feta, mozzarella, chicken, or prawns for extra protein.