Pasta salad should be a staple all year long, but not just any pasta salad…a cool pasta salad! (Anyone else a Mean Girls fan?!)
Why Chickpea Pasta?
Eating pasta doesn’t have to make you feel guilty or indulgent though. This past year, we started eating exclusively chickpea based pasta for the health benefits. Chickpea based pasta is packed with loads of protein and fiber without all the carbs that regular pasta brings. Plus it fills you up just as regular pasta does!
Try picking up a box of Banza the next time you do your grocery shopping. If you love it, Costco sells boxes of 6 packs for about $8-9…definite deal.
Fresh is Best
Don’t skimp on the fresh parsley in this recipe. Fresh parsley brings a new kind of punch that those packaged spices just don’t offer all the time.
Though I always feel guilty because we NEVER finish a bundle of fresh parsley, it’s worth the 79 cents at the grocery story to add this into the pasta salad.
Make it Vegan or Vegetarian
Are you fully plant-based, vegan or vegetarian? Don’t let this pasta salad fool you. You can substitute the cheese for a vegan cheese or leave out the pepperoni for a vegetarian option. Maybe just add a little more crushed red pepper to your dressing if you forgo the pepper jack cheese or pepperoni.
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 1-8 ounce box of chickpea pasta
- ½ of a cucumber – peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper – chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley – chopped
- ½ c cherry tomatoes – halved
- ⅓ c red onion – chopped
- ¼ c pepper jack cheese – cubed
- ⅓ c hard pepperoni – diced
Pasta Salad Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions on the box until tender.
- Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix pasta, vegetables, cheese and pepperoni until thoroughly mixed.
- Store covered with air tight seal in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- Add the oil-based dressing immediately before serving and stir until well-combined.
Oil-Based Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients
- ¼ c olive oil
- Lemon juice from pressing ½ a lemon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Oil-Based Lemon Vinaigrette Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients until well-combined.
- Add to pasta salad right before serving and stir until ingredients are evenly coated with vinaigrette.
