Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
The dressing is emulsified before it touches the pasta. Chickpeas, feta, olives, and roasted peppers make a sturdy lunch that improves as it rests, while cucumber and parsley keep each bite crisp.…
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta, such as rotini or fusilli
- 1 (15-ounce) can canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 batch lemon-oregano dressing made with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing first so it has time to settle. Whisk 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 finely grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl until the mixture looks slightly thickened and no oil beads remain on the surface. Set aside.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then add the 12 ounces of pasta. Stir immediately to prevent sticking and cook according to the package timing until just tender with a slight firm resistance at the center, usually 9 to 11 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear. Shake them dry in a colander; excess water will dilute the dressing. Halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, slice the roasted peppers, halve the olives, and chop the parsley.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta thoroughly. Spread it in a wide mixing bowl or rimmed baking sheet and let steam escape for 5 minutes. Do not rinse it; the warm, slightly rough surface will absorb the dressing, while the short rest prevents the vegetables from turning watery.
- Transfer the warm pasta to a large bowl and pour over two-thirds of the dressing. Toss with a silicone spatula or large spoon for 1 minute, turning from the bottom until every piece is coated. If the pasta looks dry or clumps together, loosen it with 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water at a time.
- Fold in the chickpeas, roasted peppers, olives, and tomatoes while the pasta is still slightly warm. Use broad turns rather than vigorous stirring so the tomatoes stay intact and the chickpeas do not break. The mixture should smell lemony and herbal, with no dressing collecting at the bottom.
- Add the cucumber, parsley, and crumbled feta last. Fold only until distributed, leaving visible pieces of feta. Taste one forkful and adjust with the remaining dressing if the pasta seems dull; add a pinch of salt only after tasting because the olives and feta are already salty.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The salad is ready to pack when the pasta is cold, the dressing clings to it rather than pooling, and the chickpeas have taken on a lemony taste. If making it the night before, reserve 1 tablespoon of dressing for refreshing it in the morning.
- Before packing, toss the salad once and add the reserved dressing or 1 teaspoon olive oil if it has tightened in the refrigerator. Divide into six leakproof containers, keeping each portion chilled with an ice pack until lunch. Serve cold or let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; discard any portion left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.
Watch the Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad cooking video
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