Easy Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas, Feta, and Fresh Herbs Recipe
This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe is a vibrant and fresh dish combining fusilli pasta with a medley of vegetables, herbs, chickpeas, and creamy feta cheese. Tossed in a zesty homemade lemon and herb dressing, it’s perfect as a light lunch, picnic option, or a flavorful side dish for any meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Salad Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
- 2 heaping cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin half moons
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli pasta and cook according to the package directions until slightly past al dente, about 9-10 minutes. This ensures the pasta holds its texture well in the salad.
- Prepare the Dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and sea salt in a small bowl. The dressing will initially have a strong flavor that mellows when mixed with the salad ingredients.
- Drain and Cool the Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta and toss it with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Allow it to cool to room temperature before combining with other ingredients to avoid wilting the fresh vegetables and herbs.
- Combine the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, cooked chickpeas, arugula, sliced Persian cucumbers, crumbled feta, torn basil leaves, minced parsley, chopped mint, and toasted pine nuts.
- Toss with Dressing and Serve: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, pepper, or a drizzle of olive oil as desired. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving.
Notes
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked or canned chickpeas, just be sure to rinse and drain them well.
- For added crunch, substitute pine nuts with toasted walnuts or almonds.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead; just keep the dressing separate and toss right before serving to maintain freshness.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make the recipe gluten-free if needed.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 2 days but are best eaten fresh.
Keywords: easy pasta salad, Mediterranean pasta salad, fusilli pasta salad, vegetarian pasta salad, healthy salad, summer salad