Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is the kind of easy recipe that works for so many occasions. It is fresh enough for summer, filling enough for lunch, and simple enough to make ahead for busy days.

The salad combines tender pasta with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, olives, red onion, parsley, and creamy feta cheese. The dressing is a bright Spanish-style lemon vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, and a little smoked paprika for extra depth.

It is colorful, satisfying, and easy to customize. Serve it chilled, at room temperature, or as a side dish with grilled chicken, fish, or other Mediterranean-style meals.

Servings: 2–3 - Prep: 15 min - Cook: 10 min - Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

• 120 g short pasta, such as fusilli, farfalle, or penne / about 1¼ cups dry

• 120 g cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed / about ¾ cup

• 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved / about ¾ cup

• ½ cucumber, diced

• 60 g roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and sliced / about ⅓ cup

• 30 g black or green olives, sliced / about ¼ cup

• 40 g feta cheese, crumbled / about ⅓ cup

• ¼ small red onion, very finely sliced

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Optional: handful of rocket/arugula or baby spinach

Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• ½ tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• ¼ tsp smoked paprika

• Pinch of salt

• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the Pasta

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender. For pasta salad, it is best to cook the pasta slightly softer than you would for hot pasta, because cold pasta firms up as it cools. Drain the pasta, then rinse briefly under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking. Drain well again so the salad does not become watery.

2. Prepare the Vegetables

While the pasta cools, prepare the salad ingredients. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the roasted red peppers, slice the olives, finely slice the red onion, and chop the parsley. If the red onion tastes too strong, soak the slices in cold water for 5–10 minutes, then drain before adding them to the salad.

3. Make the Spanish-Style Lemon Vinaigrette

In a small jar or bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Shake or whisk until well combined and slightly emulsified.

4. Assemble the Pasta Salad

In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, olives, red onion, parsley, and rocket/arugula or spinach if using. Pour over the vinaigrette and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

5. Finish with Feta

Add the crumbled feta and toss very gently, or scatter it over the top for a prettier finish. Finish with extra parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil if you like.

6. Serve

Serve immediately, or chill for 20–30 minutes to let the flavors come together. If serving later, give the pasta salad a gentle toss before serving and add a small splash of olive oil or lemon juice if it needs refreshing.

Tips and Tricks

✅ Cook the pasta slightly softer than usual. Pasta firms up when chilled, so cooking it just past al dente gives a better texture in pasta salad.

✅ Use short pasta shapes. Fusilli, farfalle, and penne hold the dressing well and mix easily with the vegetables.

✅ Rinse the chickpeas. This removes the liquid from the tin and gives the chickpeas a cleaner flavor.

✅ Soften the red onion if needed. If raw onion tastes too sharp, soak it in cold water for a few minutes before adding it to the salad.

✅ Add the feta at the end. This keeps it from breaking down too much and makes the salad look fresher.

✅ Let it chill for better flavor. Even 20–30 minutes in the fridge helps the pasta absorb the vinaigrette.

✅ Refresh before serving. If the salad has been chilled for a while, add a small drizzle of olive oil or squeeze of lemon before serving.

✅ Make it more filling. Add extra chickpeas, grilled chicken, tuna, boiled eggs, or more feta if you want a heartier meal.

✅ Keep it meal-prep friendly. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the freshest texture, add greens just before serving.

✅ Adjust the dressing to taste. Add more lemon for brightness, more smoked paprika for a Spanish-style flavor, or a little extra Dijon for tang.