Name: Chickpea Pasta Salad with Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing – Easy & Flavorful
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1 lb dry pasta (orecchiette or baby shell pasta preferred); 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered; Fresh cracked pepper, to taste; 1/4 cup good quality tahini; 1/4 cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; Juice of one large lemon (about 2 tbsp); 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/4 tsp cayenne; 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste; 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional); 4 tbsp cold water; 3 tbsp fresh dill

Description

This creamy chickpea pasta salad is coated in a delicious lemon tahini sauce and super easy to make for entertaining or a filling make-ahead lunch.

Ingredients

Scale

Roasted Chickpeas

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder

Pasta Salad Base

1 lb dry pasta (orecchiette or baby shell pasta preferred)
3 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup good quality tahini
1/4 cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of one large lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
4 tbsp cold water
3 tbsp fresh dill

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Dry off your chickpeas well using a clean kitchen towel and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the chickpeas with the oil, onion powder and a good pinch of salt and toss to coat. Spread the chickpeas out in a single layer and place in the oven to roast for 25 minutes.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt to the water. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until it is al dente according to package directions.

3. Drain the pasta and place in a large mixing bowl with about 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil to help prevent the pasta from sticking together as it cools to room temperature.

4. Prepare the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar until completely smooth.

5. Now, assemble the salad. Add the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and roasted chickpeas to the bowl of pasta.

6. Pour the tahini dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Adjust the seasonings to your liking before serving.

Notes

Cook your pasta in salted water for better flavor—don’t skip this step.

Tossing drained pasta in a small amount of oil helps prevent clumping.

To get perfectly crispy chickpeas, pat them dry and bake at 375°F to roast without burning.

If you’d prefer not to use the oven, add the drained chickpeas directly to the salad and season to taste.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 424
Sugar: 6.5g
Fat: 18.9g
Carbohydrates: 52.1g
Fiber: 5.6g
Protein: 8.6g