Remember last summer when everyone was making the viral “Jennifer Aniston” salad? While I’m not one to jump on every trend I see on social media, this one ended up too good not to make and share on the blog.
Like the name suggests, my ambitious take on this glorious herby chickpea feta pasta salad has a pasta base for all of those yummy mix-ins and that sweet, tangy lemon vinaigrette. We’re getting freshness from tons of different herbs, a little crunch from pistachios and cucumber, plenty of salty, savory flavor from feta cheese, and a boost of protein from chickpeas.
I mean, what’s not to love?! This pasta salad is SO quick and easy to make, bursting with summer flavors, and incredibly satisfying. Enjoy it as a main meal or a side dish for your next BBQ!
Everything you’ll need to make this chickpea feta pasta salad
This fresh, absolutely delicious salad is my take on Jennifer Aniston’s famous quinoa salad. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Pasta: our girl Jen uses bulgar in her viral salad recipes, but I opted for pasta because pasta salad + summer = a match made in heaven. I used orzo photographed here, but see below for tons of options!
- Chickpeas: you’ll get a boost of protein by adding a can of chickpeas.
- Veggies & herbs: were adding Persian cucumbers, heirloom cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, and tons of fresh herbs like parsley, mint (or basil), and dill. Feel free to use what you have!
- Mix-ins: get some crunch from roasted pistachios, and saltiness from feta cheese to round out the flavors.
- For the dressing: the easy lemon vinaigrette is made with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, a little sugar or honey, and black pepper.
Make this salad your own
Like pretty much all salad recipes, this chickpea feta pasta salad is easy to customize to your taste preferences. Here’s what I can suggest:
- Pick your pasta: feel free to use any shape you’d like! I love fusilli, orzo, bowties, and casarecce. Gluten-free pasta works perfectly, too.
- Try a new grain: not into the noodles? Try bulgar (like Jennifer), farro, quinoa, or pearl couscous.
- Keep it vegan: simply omit the feta and use sugar instead of honey in the dressing.
- Mix up the veggies: I think bell pepper and creamy avocado would also be great in this salad.
- Go nut free: omit the pistachios or swap them for sunflower seeds or pepitas instead.
Find your perfect dressing
In the viral Jennifer Aniston salad she uses a mix of just lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. I opted for a lemon vinaigrette that has more punch with the addition of dijon, garlic, etc. but my Healthy Lemon Basil Vinaigrette or my Healthy Greek Dressing would also be delicious.
Looking for an extra boost of protein?
This herby chickpea feta pasta salad packs 20g per serving as is, but feel free to toss in 1 cup of cooked, chopped chicken breast for an extra boost! My Baked or Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken would be perfect on the side or mixed into the salad.
Prep this chickpea and feta pasta salad ahead of time
If you plan to make this for a party or want to make it ahead of time, I recommend chopping the veggies, cooking the pasta, and mixing the dressing, then storing them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, Toss the pasta, veggies, herbs, and mix-ins together, then pour the dressing over and toss again.
Storing tips
Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
More salad recipes you’ll love
Get all of my salad recipes here!
I hope you love this herby chickpea and feta pasta salad! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Herby Chickpea and Feta Pasta Salad
Beautiful herby chickpea and feta pasta salad, AKA the viral “Jennifer Aniston” salad made with pasta! This easy salad is packed with veggies and delicious mix-ins like feta, pistachios, pickled red onions, and tons of fresh herbs. Toss it all in a light lemon vinaigrette for the perfect lunch or dinner that takes just 20 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (casarecce, orzo, fusilli or bowties are favorites!)
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 heaping cup chopped persian cucumber (about 4 persian cucumbers)
- 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup feta crumbles)
- ½ heaping cup roasted unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
- ½ heaping cup pickled red onions
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint or basil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- For the lemon vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Drain, rinse with cool water for 1 minute and transfer to a large bowl.
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In the large bowl with the pasta, add the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, pistachios, pickled red onions, parsley, mint and dill. Toss well to combine.
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Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or mason jar: add the lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar (or honey) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until well combined and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake until well combined.
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Toss again to combine, then season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.
Recipe Notes
If you’d like you can add additional protein by tossing in 1 cup of chopped cooked chicken breast to the salad.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 6)Calories: 595calCarbohydrates: 77.3gProtein: 20.6gFat: 23.1gSaturated Fat: 6.1gFiber: 7.8gSugar: 7.9g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
