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This Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad tosses hearty chickpeas, cooked pasta, and a variety of fresh veggies in a tangy and herbaceous red wine vinaigrette. A simple side dish with the best of the Mediterranean in every bite! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
If you’re only going to make one pasta salad this summer, make it this 30-minute Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad! It’s easy to put together with fresh veggies, protein-packed chickpeas, pasta, vegan feta, and a red wine vinaigrette, making it a great go-to side dish for picnics or a healthy meal prep option.
Table of Contents
All About This Summer Pasta Salad
Too hot to cook? Pasta salad is the answer! As my favorite summer meal, there’s nothing quite like a bowl of chilled pasta salad on a warm summer day, especially when it’s packed with Mediterranean veggies and hearty chickpeas.
This Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad is typically on repeat in my kitchen throughout the summer. It’s a refreshing 30-minute meal that tosses colorful vegetables, pasta, vegan feta cheese, and canned chickpeas in a tangy vinaigrette. The prep is a breeze and it stores well for up to 5 days!
Bring this easy vegan pasta salad with you to the picnic lunch or potluck, or enjoy it for healthy weekday lunches. It’s always a hit, no matter the occasion.
What You Need for This Chickpea Pasta Salad
This chickpea salad requires a handful of fresh vegetables, as well as canned chickpeas, cooked pasta, and a simple 7-ingredient vinaigrette.
- Pasta: I used farfalle, but any short-cut pasta, like penne, rotini, or macaroni, will do! Your favorite gluten-free pasta or whole wheat pasta works well, too.
- Chickpeas: stick with canned chickpeas to make this salad as quick and easy as possible. They’re convenient, hearty, and fill this salad with approximately 80 grams of plant protein!
- Mediterranean Vegetables: this is a Mediterranean pasta salad after all, so it needs a variety of fresh and colorful veggies, like cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and kalamata olives.
- Vegan Feta Cheese: dairy-free feta rounds out the salad with its salty creaminess. I like the vegan feta from Violife Foods and Follow Your Heart, although the homemade marinated tofu feta from my Greek-Inspired Kale Salad is always my go-to choice!
- Fresh Herbs: Chopped parsley and mint leaves add a pop of freshness to every bite.
- Red Wine Vinaigrette: this simple yet fresh and flavorful salad dressing comes together in a pinch with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.
How to Make a Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Add the salad dressing ingredients to a jar, seal the lid on top, and shake vigorously until it’s emulsified. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the water and rinse the pasta under cold water.
- Add the room temperature pasta to a large bowl along with the chickpeas, vegetables, olives, herbs, and feta. Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine.
- Serve the chickpea pasta salad right away or place it in the fridge to chill before serving.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Make the dressing at least 30 minutes ahead of time: There’s nothing quite as jarring as biting into raw garlic cloves. That’s why I recommend prepping the dressing in advance. Over time, the red wine vinegar will mellow out the raw garlic’s strong flavors.
- Don’t overcook the pasta! Al dente pasta (a tender texture with a slight bite) that’s rinsed under cold water is key to a cold pasta salad that lasts for days. Overcooked pasta will be soft, mushy, and very fragile, making the leftovers less than ideal.
- I highly recommend chilling the salad: Giving the assembled pasta salad 30 minutes to chill in the fridge gives the flavors time to get even better!
Serving Suggestions
Personally, I believe no vegan picnic is complete without a pasta salad. That’s why I recommend serving this salad at picnics or any summer celebration with more refreshing dishes, like this Crunchy Broccoli Salad, this Dilly White Bean Cucumber Salad, and these Rainbow Veggie Sandwiches with Hummus.
And because it travels and stores so well, you can also enjoy the chickpea salad for an easy lunch or snack during the work week. Either serve it on its own or pair it with a bowl of this Roasted Tomato Soup or this Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich for a well-rounded meal.
If you’re looking for more vegan pasta salad recipes, you’ll also love this Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, this Mediterranean Pasta Salad, and this Triple Tomato Basil Orzo Salad!
Or, if you have more canned chickpeas to use up, you can enjoy them in this Absolute Best Mango Chickpea Salad, these Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas, and this Summer Peach and Chickpea Salad.
How to Store Leftover Pasta Salad
Once fully dressed and assembled, the leftover salad will keep for up to 5 days. Store it in a covered salad bowl or an airtight container in the fridge to help keep it fresh.
I do not recommend freezing this pasta salad because the textures of the cooked pasta and vegetables will not be the same upon thawing.
Substitutions and Variations
- More Add-In Ideas: Add sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, sliced zucchini, chopped spinach, summer squash, bell peppers, pickled red onions, green onions, fresh chives, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap the regular pasta for your favorite short-cut gluten-free pasta noodles or bean-based protein pasta.
- Chickpea Substitute: Feel free to use cannellini, navy, great northern, or lima beans in place of the chickpeas.
- Add More Protein: You can add crispy tofu, soy curls, or hemp seeds to turn this side dish into a filling main meal.
Recipe FAQs
I personally prefer this salad served at room temperature or chilled to fully enjoy the fresh, juicy, and crisp veggies. That being said, you can serve it warm if that’s what you prefer.
Yes. You’ll need to cook 1 3/4 cup of dried chickpeas in boiling water until they’re soft and tender, then wait for them to cool before adding them to the salad.
Extra virgin olive oil is essential to the salad dressing. Without it, the dressing won’t emulsify properly or have its signature rich mouthfeel. If you’re looking for oil-free pasta salad recipes, you might enjoy this Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad or this Pesto Orzo Salad.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 8 ounces pasta gluten-free if necessary
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 dry pint (10 ounces) fresh tomatoes diced or cut in half
- 1 English cucumber quartered and sliced
- 1/2 red onion small dice
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives cut in half (optional)
- 1/2-1 cup crumbled feta I used dairy-free
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a resealable jar, add the oil, lemon or vinegar, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Seal and shake vigorously, until emulsified. Let sit; the vinegar will mellow out the garlic over time.
- Cook the Pasta: Generously salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and rinse well with cold water until the pasta comes to room temperature.
- Combine: Add the chilled pasta to a large bowl along with the chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, feta, parsley, and mint. Top with the dressing and toss until well combined.
- Serve & Store: Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta instead of wheat-based pasta to make this recipe gluten-free!
Another winner!! I skipped the feta just because I didn’t have it and didn’t feel like buying any. It was absolutely wonderful even without it. Used whole wheat fusilli and produce from my local farm. Will absolutely make again.
We’re happy it worked out! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Anne!
Been making this on repeat for meal prep lunches! It is seriously so perfect!
So happy you love it, Mikayla!
The vinaigrette is on point !
Thank you so much!
Love this recipe! I also love the bowl in the photos, would you mind sharing where it is from?
Hi Sara! Unfortunately it’s handmade and the business closed down 🙁 but you can find similar on crate and barrel
Delicious!!!!
Thank you!
This is definitely my new favorite pasta salad recipe! I replaced red onions with pickled red onions because it was all i had. The flavor is amazing! Highly recommend 🙂
Thank you so much for the reco, Sara! Glad you loved the recipe. ♥
I didn’t have any vegan feta but this was still really good! I’m looking forward to eating this for the next few days 🙂
Love all your recipes Caitlin! This is no exception! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kat! We’re so happy you love the recipes. ♥
This looks delicious!! Where do you find dairy free feta cheese? I have not found any dairy free cheeses that I like, so most of the time I omit them, but if you have any delicious recommendations send them my way!
Thanks!!
Finding dairy-free feta cheese and other dairy-free cheese alternatives can vary depending on your location and the availability of products in your area.
Violife: Violife offers a range of dairy-free cheeses, including a feta-style option made from plant-based ingredients.
Miyoko’s Creamery: Miyoko’s is known for their high-quality artisanal vegan cheeses, and they may have a feta-style option available.
Follow Your Heart: Follow Your Heart produces a dairy-free feta crumble that you might enjoy.
Kite Hill: Kite Hill offers a variety of almond-based dairy alternatives, and they might have a feta-style cheese that suits your taste.
Nafsika’s Garden: This brand specializes in vegan cheeses, and they might have a dairy-free feta cheese option.
Homemade: You can also consider making your own dairy-free feta cheese at home using ingredients like tofu, almonds, or cashews. There are many recipes available online.
It’s worth checking health food stores, specialty vegan stores, and larger grocery chains with well-stocked natural food sections. Additionally, you might find these products available for purchase online through retailers like Amazon or directly from the brand’s websites.
Remember that taste preferences can vary widely for dairy-free cheeses, so it’s possible that you might find a brand or type that you enjoy even if you haven’t liked some in the past. Feel free to explore different options and brands to find the ones that suit your palate.
Any ideas for oil free or lower oil option?
Replace olive oil with tahini, almond butter, or use vegetable broth/water mixed with lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and seasonings.