Description
A bright, protein-rich pasta salad filled with fresh vegetables, creamy mozzarella, and hearty chickpeas, perfect for weeknight dinners or picnics.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces pasta (Fusilli or Penne)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumbers, diced
- 1 cup bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup mozzarella balls or cubes
- 1/4 cup olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and stir once. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and let it cool slightly.
- Prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumbers and bell peppers, and thinly dice the red onion.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, chickpeas, mozzarella, olives, and fresh basil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. If using garlic, add it now.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad mixture and gently toss together until evenly coated. For deeper flavor, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For meal prep, store the dressing separately to avoid sogginess. This salad can also be easily customized with different vegetables or proteins.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: pasta salad, high-protein, Italian, easy recipe, summer salad