This greek pasta recipe is easy to make with just a few pantry staples. It is full of fresh flavors and will make a great lunch, dinner or side.
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I grew up on pasta salad, only it was typically saturated in mayonnaise. Now that I am an adult and have acquired a different pallet for flavors I love to make my own pasta salads (mayo free) and full of veggies.
This pasta salad is so easy to whip up. You can easily add any proteins you have on hand. Artichokes hold some protein value so you can also make this a vegetarian dish. I opted to add some canned tuna in my dish and it paired perfectly.
Add some protein to this dish to make it a complete meal
This pasta salad is so easy to whip up. You can easily add any proteins you have on hand. Artichokes hold some protein value so you can also make this a vegetarian dish. I opted to add some canned tuna in my dish and it paired perfectly.
Chicken would also pair nicely with this pasta salad! I would cook the chicken and have the pasta on the side, or cube it up and mix it in.
You can make this pasta salad vegan by skipping the cheese and adding some cubed avocado instead! You have your carbs, protein and fats this way.
What you will need for this recipe
Pasta. I used farfalla pasta because that’s what I had lying around. You want a shape thats comparable to the chunks of artichokes. Ritoni, penne and rigatoni would all work nicely for this recipe.
Artichoke hearts. Jarred or canned will work. I used canned. If you use canned, be sure to give them a good rinse and squeeze the excess liquid out.
Canned beans. I chose chickpeas. I highly recommend them in this pasta dish.
Goat cheese. Chèvre gives the pasta a nice creamy flavor to it. It also brings out some tanginess and I love it paired with the artichokes.
Fresh veggies. Some grape tomatoes sliced in halves and cubed cucumber add the perfect crunch to this salad.
Olive oil and vinegar. Extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar will work best here.
Fresh herbs. I had a lot of cilantro lying around so this is what I added! parsley, thyme, rosemary would work great as well. If you do not have access to fresh herbs then dried will work. Just be sure to pinch the dried herbs between your fingers and crush it up a little. It wakes up the flavors in dried herbs doing this.
How to make this recipe
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain it the pasta and be sure to toss with a light drizzle of oil.
- Chop your tomatoes, artichokes and cucumbers, mince any herbs you want tossed in. Rinse your can of beans.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients, pour over your pasta
- Toss everything in a big bowl and mix together ingredients. Add proteins and cheese and toss a bit more. Serve and enjoy!
20 Minute Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe | Sailor Bailey
Equipment
- large sauce pan
- large bowl
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbs dijon mustard
- 2½ tsp italian seasoning
- ⅛ tsp dried rosemary
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
For the pasta salad
- 3 cups uncooked farfalla
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup crumbled chevre (goat cheese) or feta
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 2 tbs fresh herbs for garnish
- 1 5 oz can of tuna (optional)
Instructions
Dressing
- whisk all ingredients together
for the pasta
- cook pasta according to package.Make the dressing while pasta is cooking to save time. Once pasta is done, toss with a little olive oil, let it cool a bit and place in a large bowl. Add all the vegitable and dressing, toss well. Top with goat cheese and fresh herbs toass lightly and serve!
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