This easy Italian Pasta Salad takes just minutes to make with protein-packed chickpea pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, feta cheese, and chicken, covered in Italian dressing. So quick, easy, healthy and delicious!
TIPS FOR MAKING EASY ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
- Be sure and salt the pasta water before adding the dry pasta
- Use any Italian dressing that you LOVE. There are so many options. Zesty Italian dressing, creamy Italian dressing, parmesan Italian dressing. Any homemade or store-bough Italian dressings work great! I enjoy using Good Seasons Italian Dressing & Recipe Mix.
- It’s best to have deseeded cucumbers for this pasta salad. If choosing to use an English cucumber, cut it in half vertically (so you end up with two thinner, longer pieces). Then scoop out the seeds and dice. Alternatively, you can do as I did, and use mini Persian cucumbers, which come without seeds.
- Use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Either one will work great.
- Eat this pasta salad right away or let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. This pasta salad is perfect for meal prep as well. If you would like to avoid having the pasta get soggy or sit for too long, try leaving the dressing off until you are going to be eating/serving it. Or simply add a bit more dressing at time of serving.
- Feel free to eyeball the dressing amount. It should be just enough to coat the pasta after stirring together. It’s really up to your own preference.
Ingredients
- 1 box (8oz.) chickpea cavatappi pasta
- ~1/2 cup diced cucumber (about 2 mini Persian cucumbers)
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup feta crumbles
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1-2 tbsp chopped basil
- Grilled chicken
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing (adjust accordingly)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to box instructions. Remember to salt your pasta water. When the pasta is finished, drain it and run cold water over it so the noodles can cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, chicken, feta cheese and basil. Pour Italian dressing over the mixture and stir together. *Start with about 1/4 cup Italian dressing and go from there. You can save some dressing to add before serving if you plan to meal prep or put in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving to moisten.
- Can be eaten right away or refrigerated for a few hours before serving.
Rating: 5 out of 5.