Easy Pasta Salad
This Easy Pasta Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that’s perfect for busy days or last-minute gatherings. With just 30 minutes from start to finish, it combines tender pasta, crisp vegetables, and a zesty dressing for a refreshing bite every time.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
- 2 heaping cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin half moons
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and salt. (Note: the dressing will have a strong flavor, it’ll mellow once it coats all of the pasta salad ingredients).
- Drain the pasta, toss it with a little olive oil (so that it doesn’t stick together) and let it cool to room temp.
- Transfer to a large bowl with the tomatoes, chickpeas, arugula, cucumbers, feta cheese, basil, parsley, mint, and pine nuts. Pour the dressing and toss to coat.
- Season to taste with more lemon, salt, pepper, and/or a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!