Description
A bright and hearty pasta salad made with whole-wheat noodles, chickpeas, feta, and fresh vegetables, perfect for potlucks or quick meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (227 g) whole wheat pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (about 149 g)
- 1 cup cucumber, diced (about 119 g)
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (about 75 g)
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced (about 67 g)
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 164 g)
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (about 40 g)
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (about 38 g)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (about 6 g)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml)
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the whole wheat pasta according to package instructions until al dente (9–11 minutes); drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, black olives, chickpeas, red onion, feta, and basil. Toss gently to mix.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Rinse pasta to stop cooking and prevent it from absorbing too much dressing. For deeper flavor, consider chilling overnight.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cooking Required (Boiling)
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg