This healthy chickpea pesto pasta salad is made with whole grain pasta and no mayo for a delicious protein and fiber-packed vegetarian side dish or summer main. Made with just 5 ingredients, this pasta salad recipe is quick and easy to make and can be made ahead of time! {Vegetarian & Gluten-Free-Friendly}
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Best Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
With warmer temps on their way, we’re finally entering salad season! This chickpea pesto pasta salad is refreshing, light and full of fresh and vibrant flavors for the perfect side dish, potluck, BBQ or picnic dish.
The pesto sauce adds a delicious herby element and the sweet acid flavors from the cherry tomatoes balance wonderfully with the salty feta cheese.
I like to add some fresh basil leaves for a pop of color and a hint of freshness. It’s basically summer in a bowl!
For more easy pasta recipes, check out this One Pan Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Mexican Macaroni Salad and 5-Ingredient Mac and Cheese!
Why This Pasta Salad is Dietitian-Approved
- Naturally higher in protein thanks to the chickpeas
- Can be made ahead of time for entertaining or meal prep
- Easy to adapt to dietary preferences (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, etc)
- Uses just 5 ingredients, so it’s easy enough for anyone to throw together
Ingredient Notes
- Whole wheat pasta: We used bow tie, but any rotini, fusilli, or elbow pasta would all work well. Protein pasta is a great option to increase the protein content even more, especially for vegans and vegetarians.
- Fresh tomatoes: We used tri-colored cherry tomatoes, but grape tomatoes are a great substitute. Feel free to add in other veggies as well!
- Chickpeas: For plant-based protein and fiber. We used low sodium canned (be sure to drain the chickpea liquid), but you can cook them from scratch if preferred. White beans would be a great alternative too!
- Feta cheese: Since beans don’t have much of a taste to them, the feta helps to add extra Mediterranean flavor into the salad. Freshly grated parmesan would also be delicious!
- Pesto: Acts as the dressing for the salad. You can use your favorite homemade or store-bought pesto.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, until it reaches an al dente consistency. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the pesto in a food processor if making it from scratch.
- Add the cooked pasta, halved tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese and pesto to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
- Serve immediately or place in the fridge for later use.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Use a bite-sized pasta such as bowtie, penne, fusilli, rotini or elbow so that you can get all of those delicious flavors in one bite!
- Cook pasta to al dente consistency to prevent the pasta from being too mushy.
- If possible, allow the pasta salad to sit for at least 30 minutes. It helps all of those flavors come together!
How to Store Pesto Pasta Salad
Keep the salad covered in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Stir well and serve cold from the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
One way to prevent pasta salad from drying out is to avoid over-draining the pasta once it’s cooked. Leave it a bit wet since the pasta will absorb the water as it sits. You can also add some warm water to the pasta salad after it has been sitting for a while to rehydrate it if it dries out.
Additionally, you can reserve some of the pesto (or other dressing) and mix it in right before serving to “freshen” it up and infuse some extra moisture.
Not all pasta salads are considered to be a healthy option. Many have a creamy base and tend to be higher in saturated fat and lower in fiber.
This chickpea pasta salad, however, is a healthier option since it’s made up of fiber-rich whole grain pasta and also contains protein, fiber and iron from the chickpeas.
The tomatoes add in a dose of vitamin C and are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, while the pesto contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Serving Suggestions
You won’t believe how quick and easy this chickpea pesto pasta salad is to make!
Pack it up for a quick and easy lunch or serve it along with these Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs or Zucchini Turkey Burgers for a delicious and healthy dinner. You can serve it at room temperature or warm!
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free pasta like brown rice, chickpea or lentil pasta!
- Dairy-free and vegan pasta salad: Omit the feta or use a vegan alternative. I also highly recommend using my dairy-free pesto instead of a store-bought one. It’s so fresh and flavorful and you don’t even miss the cheese!
- Add extra protein: Add some grilled chicken breast for a chicken pesto pasta salad. So good!
- Additional add-ins: Diced red onion, red bell pepper and black olives would be great additions, too.
- Use your favorite pesto: Basil pesto is just one of many options. An arugula pesto or ones using different types of fresh herbs would work well too.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Feta
- Greek Lentil Salad
- Lentil Pesto Pasta Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Feta Salad
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Healthy Chickpea Pesto Protein Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb dry whole-grain bowtie pasta (can sub in gluten-free pasta if desired)
- 1 1/2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup low sodium chickpeas, canned or cooked from scratch
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pesto, homemade or storebought
Optional Add-Ins:
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, until it reaches an al dente consistency. Drain the water.
- Add the cooked pasta, halved tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese and pesto to a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
- Serve immediately or place in the fridge for later use.
Notes
- Can use store-bought pesto, or better yet, try out this homemade pesto!
- Cook pasta to al dente consistency to prevent the pasta from being too mushy
- Use tri-coloured cherry or grape tomatoes to add a beautiful pop of colour to the salad
- Use no salt-added canned chickpeas and give them a good rinse to reduce sodium content or cook your own!
- If possible, allow the pasta salad to sit for at least 30 minutes. It helps all of those flavours come together!
- Can be stored in the fridge up to three days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in June 2020 and was updating in March 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos. The text, formatting and photos were updated again in June 2025.
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