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Fresh Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad with Feta

Mediterranean chickpea pasta salad with feta - featured image
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A bright, briny, and crunchy pasta salad with rotini, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and a tangy lemon-oregano vinaigrette. Perfect for potlucks, meal prep, or a quick dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta (about 2 ½ cups dry)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large English cucumber, diced into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the red onion, and halve the olives. Chop the parsley and mint. Place everything except the feta in a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Let sit for 1 minute, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly or shake vigorously until emulsified.
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water. Rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking, but do not rinse away all the starch. Shake off excess water.
  5. Pour about half the vinaigrette over the warm pasta in the colander and toss gently. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then transfer the dressed pasta to the mixing bowl with the vegetables.
  6. Add the chickpeas and olives. Toss everything together gently. If the salad seems dry, add a tablespoon of the reserved pasta water.
  7. Fold in the crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and mint gently so the feta doesn’t break down completely.
  8. Cover the bowl and let the salad rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon before serving.

Notes

For best results, dress the pasta while it’s still warm so it absorbs the vinaigrette. If making ahead, reserve extra dressing to refresh before serving. The salad tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: Mediterranean pasta salad, chickpea pasta salad, feta pasta salad, summer salad, potluck salad, vegetarian pasta salad

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/fresh-mediterranean-chickpea-pasta-salad-with-feta/