I’m obsessed with Mediterranean flavors, and this Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Chickpeas is one of my go-to recipes.
It’s fresh, hearty, and packed with everything I love—juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, chickpeas, briny olives, and creamy feta, all tossed in a zesty homemade honey mustard dressing.
This salad is perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep since it tastes even better the next day.
Just drizzle on a little extra dressing or olive oil before serving, and you’re good to go!
Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
I love sharing Greek-inspired recipes like my Chicken Souvlaki, Lemon Potatoes, and Chicken Thighs.
This pasta salad fits right in with those flavors, bringing a taste of the Mediterranean straight to your table.
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Ingredients
- Tomatoes - Use cocktail, cherry, red vine, or plum tomatoes. Tomatoes with stems tend to be the most flavorful, so leave the stems on until you're ready to add them to the pasta salad for maximum freshness.
- Fresh herbs - Essential for an authentic Mediterranean salad. Parsley, mint, and basil add a refreshing touch. Use at least two (I chose parsley and mint). Finely chop or cut mint into thin strips. Not a fan of mint? Swap it with fresh basil or cilantro.
- Feta - Use a block of feta for a creamier, fresher taste instead of prepackaged cubes.
- Cucumber - Choose Dutch, English, or Persian cucumbers for their thin, non-bitter skins and juicy texture, perfect for salads.
How To Make Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Cook pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain it and drizzle with olive oil, place the hot pasta aside to cool.
Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl or mason jar.
Once pasta is chilled transfer to a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and toss in the salad dressing.
Serve with more feta cheese and fresh herbs on top!
For best flavor, chill the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving (without feta cheese, add this right before serving).
Don't miss: This salad rivals my Pasta Salad With Sausage, Spinach Tomato Pasta and fulfilling Avocado Chickpea Salad.
Tips
- Pasta. I used gluten-free red lentil pasta (with additions of spinach, corn/rice), but rotini is the most popular for pasta salads since its twist holds onto the dressing. Penne, farfalle (bowties), or any short-textured pasta work well, too.
- Cook the pasta al dente. This keeps it from getting soggy and helps it soak up the dressing better. Check out my guide on how to boil pasta like a pro.
- Chill the pasta. Let it cool before mixing into the salad. If you have time, cook it earlier in the day and drizzle a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.
- Season generously. The pasta needs flavor, so don’t skimp on seasoning.
- Quick tip. To cook pasta fast, spread it out on a baking sheet or cook it ahead of time.
- For extra crunch and nutrition, try adding toasted nuts like pine nuts, pecans, or almonds. To toast them, bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, but watch them closely to prevent burning.
- Add more Mediterranean ingredients like artichoke hearts, arugula, olives, or goat cheese. The more veggies, the better!
- Have extra time? Make these pan-roasted chickpeas from my salad recipe. Your pasta salad has just been upgraded.
Serving Suggestions
What goes well with pasta salad? We like to enjoy the pasta salad on its own or served as a side dish for:
- any grilled chicken recipe
- grilled salmon or tuna
- burgers
- Pork Chops or Pork Tenderloin
- Barbecue chicken
- Sandwiches, wraps
- Fried foods such as fried chicken wings, drumsticks, thighs and etc
- Corn on the cob either grilled, boiled, or baked in the oven
- As an appetizer choice along with cheese boards, tapas
Freezing And Storing Instructions
As it's a cold pasta salad, you can easily make it ahead by cooking the pasta 1-2 days in advance, chopping the veggies, making the dressing, and keeping everything separate in the fridge until ready to use.
Keep the cold pasta salad refrigerated at all times and closed in an airtight container. For best flavor consume within 3 days.
Pasta will continue to soak up the dressing as it sits. You’ll need to whip up extra dressing after day 1 or simply add a little bit oil and vinegar to refresh the flavors.
🍅 Have too many cherry tomatoes? Freeze them for later!
Chickpea Pasta Salad: FAQs
NO, don’t rinse the pasta. Rinsing removes the starch, which helps the dressing absorb better. After cooking, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, then stir to coat and store in the fridge until ready to use.
All the short noodle types are the best for pasta salads as they have all those little curves that help the creamy dressing to get stuck in them. Fusilli, farfalle, rotini, and penne are simply ideal for a cold pasta salad
To chill pasta quickly, place it in a colander and drain. Then, put the colander in a pot of ice-cold water for a few minutes. Drain the water, drizzle with olive oil, and store in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.
More Favorite Mediterranean Recipes
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Recipe Card
Mediterranean Pasta Salad With Chickpeas
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 small red onion, sliced thin
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 10 oz gluten-free pasta, see notes
- ½ cup olives, (kalamata olives, green olives) pitted
- 2 bell peppers, tricolor or sub with cooked artichokes, hearts of palm, roasted red peppers
- 1 cup plum tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters
- 1 cup chickpeas, try these roasted ones
- 8 oz feta, or as much as your heart desires
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, of good quality, is a must
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoon honey, liquid
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- Sea salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- red chili flakes , to taste
For Serving
- Chili flakes
- Fresh parsley, basil
- 1 cup cucumber, english, persian, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain it and drizzle with olive oil, place the hot pasta aside to cool.
- Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl or mason jar.
- Once pasta is chilled, transfer to mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and toss in the salad dressing.
- Serve with more feta cheese and fresh herbs on top!
- For best flavor, chill the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving(without feta cheese, add this right before serving)
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is perfect for fulfilling Dinner Salad!