Robust in flavours, this easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad is absolutely full of flavour! This salad is delicious after an hour of sitting in the refrigerator and pairs well with chicken, fish or can easily stand on it's own as a meal.
If you're looking for an easy pasta salad recipe, then you've gotta try this one. A recipe that has been tested over multiple times at family occasions, you will have everyone asking you for this recipe!
This salad goes beautifully with my Amazing Chicken Kabobs. You can serve them on the side of this salad, or chop them up and toss them in the salad for a delicious meal.
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WHY THIS IS THE BEST EASY PASTA SALAD
- you don't need any fancy equipment to make this recipe. Once you've cooked the pasta, the remaining ingredients are all assembled by hand.
- this salad can easily become a main course by adding chopped chicken or salami and mixing it into the salad.
- this recipe has the perfect balance of pasta to other ingredients.
Ingredients & notes for this recipe
- Bowtie pasta is suggested for this recipe, however you can change it up and use rotini, penne or any bite-sized pasta.
- Black or green olives can be used. Our favourite is kalamata olives
- Use regular tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in this recipe.
- Fresh herbs is definitely the favourite, however you can substitute dried herbs as well, keeping in mind that you will need 1 tbsp. of fresh herbs to 1 tsp. of dried herbs.
- Feta cheese - if you're out of feta cheese or looking for a delicious substitute in this salad, we've rounded up the best substitutes for feta cheese to help you out!
INSTRUCTIONS
Four easy steps for making this recipe:
- Cook the pasta.
- Chop the veggies.
- Make the dressing.
- Toss together, then refrigerate.
Yes. Rinsing the pasta and allowing it to drain completely will stop it from sticking.
Pasta salad is best enjoyed the same day although you can make it the day before and refrigerate it overnight.
MORE SALAD IDEAS YOU'LL LOVE!
Quinoa Spinach Salad with Avocado
Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Honey Mustard Chicken
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Mediterranean Pasta Salad With Chickpeas
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Description
Fresh herbs and fresh colourful veggies make this a beautiful-looking and tasty salad to take along to a bbq or family picnic.
Ingredients
16 oz. (454 g) Bowtie Pasta, cooked
½ red pepper, chopped
½ yellow pepper, chopped
½ red onion, sliced
1 English cucumber, chopped or sliced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped finely
½ tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
⅓ cup black olives, pitted and sliced
⅓ cup chick peas (rinsed)
¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin, light olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard
½ tsp. oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, drain and set aside in large bowl for mixing the salad together.
2. In a separate bowl place chopped cucumber, red and yellow peppers, feta cheese, red onion, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh parsley, ¼ tsp. oregano and fresh basil. Add in chick peas.
3. For dressing mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a glass mixing bowl, whisk until all ingredients are well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the chopped ingredients to the pasta then pour the dressing over top. Mix well to coat all of the pasta.
5. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Notes
Substitutes:
- Penne pasta or rotini pasta may be substituted for the bowtie pasta.
Storage instructions:
- Salad may be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in a covered container. This pasta salad is not suitable for freezing.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 216
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 407.7 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.3 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 12.1 mg
Keywords: pasta salad
Daniele
Dry. I used less than one pound of uncooked pasta but the same amount of dressing in the recipe. I didn’t add fresh tomatoes because I didn’t want them getting mushy in the leftover salad, and my cucumber went missing between my grocery cart and home. (It would have had the next-day-mush issue as well.) While those ingredients might have added more water, they wouldn’t have added to the creamy mouth feel — a hallmark of pasta salad. I also needed to add a hearty shake of Greek Seasoning Blend to amp up the flavor. The sundried tomatoes, farfalle and garbanzos had a delightful texture. Verdict: Keep the salad Ingredients, ditch the dressing recipe.
★★
Tim
I love how this salad gets better as it sits longer in the fridge. It turned out amazing for us!!
★★★★★