Easy Pasta Salad with Chickpeas
This easy pasta salad with chickpeas is a wholesome and delicious Mediterranean-inspired dish, packed with bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and a healthful balance of protein and fiber. Perfect for meal prep or summer gatherings, this healthy pasta salad recipe is quick and fully customizable to suit your dietary needs.
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
- 2 heaping cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin half-moons
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli pasta and cook until slightly past al dente, according to the package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and sea salt.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it thoroughly, toss it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent clumping, and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, arugula, cucumbers, feta cheese, torn basil, parsley, mint, and toasted pine nuts.
- Pour the dressing evenly over the pasta mixture and toss well to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as desired.
- Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Drizzle with a touch more olive oil before serving, if desired.