Mediterranean Pasta Salad Chickpeas (Print-Friendly)

Vibrant Mediterranean pasta with chickpeas, feta, crisp veggies, and a lemon-oregano dressing for a fresh meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Beans & Cheese

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

→ Dressing

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley.
03 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over mixed ingredients and gently toss to coat evenly.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta on top and toss lightly to combine without breaking cheese.
06 - Adjust seasoning if needed and refrigerate salad for 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and forget about it until hunger hits.
  • No mayonnaise means it holds up in the heat and never gets that weird slick texture.
  • The chickpeas make it filling enough to be lunch or dinner, not just a side dish you pick at.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water after draining or it will clump into a starchy blob that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • Add the feta last and fold gently, if you toss it too hard it crumbles into dust and disappears into the dressing.
  • Taste the salad after it's been chilled, flavors fade in the cold and you'll almost always need to adjust the seasoning before serving.
03 -
  • Use a block of feta packed in brine, it stays creamier and doesn't dry out the way pre-crumbled feta does.
  • If the salad tastes flat after chilling, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of flaky salt right before serving, it brings everything back to life.
  • Don't overdress it at first, you can always add more but you can't take it back once the pasta is swimming.
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