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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5-Ingredient Pasta Salad!
The warmer months are approaching and a delicious cold pasta salad is a must! This 5-ingredient chickpea pesto pasta salad is wonderfully light and full of fresh and vibrant flavors for the perfect side dish, potluck, BBQ or picnic dish.
In this recipe, we incorporated ingredients from the Mediterranean for the perfect fresh 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
There are so many reasons to love this vegetarian pasta salad! It is:
- High in protein: This pasta salad contains chickpeas which are a great source of fiber and protein. It allows this dish to be served as a side or as a balanced main dish.
- A make-ahead option: You can make this pesto chickpea salad ahead of time, so it’s the perfect dish if you’re entertaining or doing meal prep for the week.
- Versatile: This vegetarian pasta salad is adaptable and can easily be made dairy-free, vegan or gluten-free.
Ingredient Notes
You just need 5 ingredients to make this delicious no-mayo pasta salad:
- Whole wheat pasta: We used bow tie, but any rotini, fusilli, or elbow pasta would all work well.
- Fresh tomatoes: Add a splash of flavor and color. We used tri-colored cherry tomatoes, but grape tomatoes are a great substitute. Fee free to add in other veggies as well!
- Chickpeas: Incorporate extra plant-based protein and fiber. We used low sodium canned chickpeas (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 chickpeas don’t have much of a taste to them, the feta helps to incorporate extra Mediterranean flavor into the salad. Freshly grated parmesan cheese 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.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips:
- Use a bite-sized pasta such as bowtie, penne, fusilli, rotini or elbow so that you can get all of those delicious flavours in one bite!
- 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!
Recipe FAQs
Is it best to make pasta salad the day before?
Yes! This pasta salad will keep well for up to 3 days covered in the fridge. Because it is made without mayo it can be kept at room temperature for several hours and served either warm or chilled.
How do you keep pasta salad from drying out?
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.
How long will pasta salad last in the fridge?
Pasta salad generally lasts in the fridge for 3 to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.
What pasta is best for pasta salad?
Generally, I like to use whole-grain bow tie pasta in salads, but you can sub in any bite-sized pasta including penne, rotini, fusilli or elbow. I recommend opting for whole-grain pasta wherever possible since it’s higher in fiber and nutrients that have been removed from regular white pasta.
If you don’t like the taste of whole-grain pasta, try going for a white pasta fortified with fiber since it still generally has the equivalent amount of fibre to its whole-grain counterpart, but tastes more like white pasta.
If there are any gluten sensitivities, you can also sub in a gluten-free pasta.
Is pasta salad healthy?
Not all pasta salads are considered to be healthy. 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 recipe 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!
Recipe Variations
This pasta salad is easy to adapt to your dietary needs with a few simple swaps!
- 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: Grilled chicken would also taste amazing in this pasta salad!
- Additional add-ins: Diced red onion, red bell pepper and black olives would be great additions to this salad too.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Healthy Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe
- Greek Lentil Salad
- Lentil Pesto Pasta Salad
- Couscous Asparagus Salad
- Cucumber Noodle Salad
- Chickpea Avocado Feta Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Chickpea Pesto Pasta Salad {Vegetarian}
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 cooked or canned chickpeas
- 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.
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