Mediterranean Pasta Salad Chickpeas (Printable)

Refreshing Mediterranean pasta with chickpeas, feta, fresh veggies, and a zesty olive oil dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Beans & Cheese

02 - 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 4 ounces 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, following package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Add crumbled feta cheese and toss lightly, preserving the cheese’s texture.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste and chill the salad for 15 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better after a few hours in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your day.
  • The chickpeas make it filling enough to be a real meal, not just a side dish nobody's excited about.
  • No mayo means no food-safety paranoia at picnics or when it sits out a little too long.
  • It's one of those rare salads where the leftovers are somehow better than the original.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta and cooling it completely prevents it from absorbing too much dressing and becoming mushy—this is non-negotiable.
  • Add the feta last and fold it in gently, or it will turn into fine crumbles instead of staying in actual chunks.
  • This salad tastes better the next day as everything melds together, so make it ahead if you can.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing on a piece of pasta before you dress the whole salad—it should be bright and slightly assertive because it's about to coat a lot of other things.
  • Cut everything roughly the same size so you get a balanced bite every time; a tiny piece of tomato next to a huge piece of cucumber is disappointing.
Go Back