Chickpea Pasta Salad
Light and perfect for summer, this gluten free pasta salad is great for a picnic, road trip, or camping since it doesn't contain mayo. Serve cold or at room temperature!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 12oz chickpea pasta
- 1 large zucchini, sliced into bite-size cubes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/3 cup Optional: crumbled fresh goat cheese (chevre)
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard (without sulfites)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and add chickpea pasta. Cook according to package directions (I use the lower end of the time to avoid it getting mushy). Add the cooked pasta to a colander and drain while running it under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Chop vegetables and place them in a small bowl. Meanwhile combine all the dressing ingredients, whisking until smooth and emulsified.
- Add cooked pasta to the large bowl and combine with 1/2 of the salad dressing. Transfer the pasta to the fridge to cool for approximately 2 hours. If space is an issue, set the veggies on top of the pasta so they stay crisp, or leave in a separate bowl.
- Before serving, combine the vegetables, pasta, and the rest of the dressing. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding more kosher salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- This recipe serves 4 people as a main dish and 6 as a side dish.
- Dividing the dressing allows some flavor to get soaked up into the pasta, but also leaves some for before serving so the pasta doesn't dry out.
- Vegetables can also be added whenever is convenient but I recommend doing it before serving so they stay bright and crisp.
- This pasta salad stores well for 3-4 days, but will get more dry as time goes on. You can also whip up more dressing to add to it, if needed.
- If traveling with this recipe, omit the goat cheese so it stays better at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 559IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 6mg
