Cold Chickpea Pasta Salad
This chickpea pasta salad is made with tender pasta noodles, fresh veggies, and a refreshing, creamy Greek yogurt dressing. Tossed together in minutes, it’s the best summer recipe for picnics, barbecues, and meal prep!
This chickpea Greek salad is one of the best ways to use up all the produce you bought from your local farmer’s market and is coated in a finger-licking good greek yogurt dressing instead of mayo found in most pasta salads. Simple, delicious, and nutritious, it’s great to serve as a tasty side dish and can easily double as a main course. In fact, it’s so tasty, you’re probably going to want to go ahead and make a double batch. It tends to disappear fast!
For more crowd-pleasing pasta salad recipes, check out my zesty Italian pasta salad and deviled egg pasta salad, too!
Jump to:
- Why you’ll love Chickpea Yogurt Salad
- Ingredients for Chickpea Pasta Salad
- How to make Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans
- Making Chickpea Yogurt Salad ahead of time
- Cold Chickpea Pasta Salad Variations
- Tips for making Pasta Chickpea Salad
- What to serve with Cold Chickpea PastaSalad
- How to store Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans
- Chickpea Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs
- For more pasta recipes, check out my:
- Recipe
- Reviews
Why you’ll love Chickpea Yogurt Salad
- Vegetarian, nut free, gluten free-friendly, and vegan-friendly
- High-protein
- Packed full of nutrients and fiber
- A crowd-pleasing dish
- Great to make in advance
Ingredients for Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Pasta - Any type of pasta will work in this chickpea cucumber salad. For the best results, I recommend using short noodles.
- Greek yogurt - Make sure to use plain flavored. This replaces the mayonnaise found in traditional chickpea pasta salad recipes, creating the same tangy flavor while adding a boost of protein.
- Produce - Red onion, bell pepper, and cucumber create a pop of color, adding nutrients and texture to the dish.
- Chickpeas - Also known as garbanzo beans, these add lots of plant-based protein and fiber while contributing a soft, poppable texture to the chickpea Greek salad.
How to make Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans
The only cooking required for this chickpea pasta salad is boiling the noodles! As a result, it comes together in minutes and is so easy to make.
Step 1: Boil the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the directions. Then, strain the water, and set the noodles aside to cool slightly.
Step 2: Prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and salt until smooth. Stir in the chopped veggies, distributing them evenly.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients. Run cold water over the pasta noodles to break them up.
Transfer the pasta to a large bowl along with the chickpeas. Pour the dressing on top, and toss to combine and coat the noodles and chickpeas.
Step 4: Serve. Sprinkle extra dill on top, and enjoy your chickpea cucumber salad cold!
What type of pasta is best for pasta salad?
A short noodle is typically best for pasta salads. I like to use rotini, spirals, penne, elbow, or shells for this chickpea pasta salad. Something long or large like spaghetti or linguine noodles are best served warm so they aren't great for pasta salad.
You can also use regular noodles, gluten free, or protein noodles in this recipe. I used a chickpea pasta to add more protein and fiber to the dish.
Whichever type of pasta you choose, make sure to cook it to al dente so it doesn't get mushy once mixed with the dressing.
Making Chickpea Yogurt Salad ahead of time
You can easily make this chickpea cucumber salad ahead of time. I recommend preparing the yogurt dressing as directed in a bowl or jar with a lid. Store it in the fridge along with the cooked noodles and chickpeas. When ready to serve, give the dressing a few big stirs, toss it with the noodles and chickpeas, and serve.
Cold Chickpea Pasta Salad Variations
- Toss in some slices of chicken or shrimp for more protein.
- Sprinkle some feta cheese crumbles over the chickpea cucumber salad.
- Add tofu or white beans to the chickpea pasta salad for more vegetarian protein.
- Gently stir in avocado chunks once the dressing is tossed with the pasta.
- Use a plant-based Greek yogurt to make this recipe vegan.
Can I use a plant-based yogurt?
To make this pasta salad vegan, use a plant-based yogurt. You will want to use a Greek-style yogurt which will be thicker and will provide similar results.
Tips for making Pasta Chickpea Salad
- Cook the pasta to al dente. This means the pasta is just done with a little bit of chewiness. This is best for pasta salad and helps the noodles from getting mushy after they’re tossed with the dressing.
- Finely chop the vegetables that are being mixed into the salad. This allows for little pieces of the vegetables to be tossed throughout.
- Add a splash of warm water to the pasta salad if it’s too thick to help toss the dressing.
What to serve with Cold Chickpea PastaSalad
My glazed peach salmon, ground chicken burgers, pesto chicken sliders, bbq chicken thighs, and air fryer salmon would be great with this pasta salad.
How to store Pasta Salad with Garbanzo Beans
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. When ready to enjoy, add a splash of warm water, and gently toss the noodles to loosen up the yogurt dressing.
Chickpea Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs
Yes, use gluten free pasta noodles to make this recipe gluten free.
This depends on your definition of “healthy”. However, chickpea pasta has much more fiber and won’t spike your blood sugar like regular pasta.
For more pasta recipes, check out my:
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Recipe
Pasta Chickpea Salad
Equipment
- 1 Pot
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta noodles - I used chickpea pasta but any noodles will work
- ⅔ cup greek yogurt - plain and unsweetened (I used 0%)
- 1 lemon - juiced (approx. 4 Tbsp)
- 4 tablespoon dill - finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup red onion - finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper - finely chopped
- 1 cucumber - cut into small pieces
- 15 oz can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta al dente according to directions. Strain and let the noodles cool slightly (you want them to be almost room temperature when tossing them in the dressing).8 oz pasta noodles
- Prepare the dressing while the pasta is cooking by mixing together the greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and sea salt in a cup or jar.⅔ cup greek yogurt, 1 lemon, 4 tablespoon dill, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a large mixing bowl, add the red onion, red bell pepper, cucumbers, and chickpeas (make sure to drain and rinse them). Pour the dressing over top and gently toss to combine¼ cup red onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cucumber, 15 oz can chickpeas
- Run some cold water over the pasta noodles if needed to loosen them up. Add the noodles to the bowl with the dressing and toss well to coat.
- Serve cold with extra dill on top, if desired, and enjoy!
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