Chickpea Macaroni Salad

Brighten up your mealtime with this vibrant and satisfying Chickpea Macaroni Salad, a perfect fusion of nutrition and flavor! Featuring tender macaroni pasta, hearty chickpeas, and crisp, colorful vegetables like red bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion, this dish is a refreshing twist on the classic pasta salad. Tossed in a zesty, creamy dressing made with olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard, every bite is bursting with tangy, savory goodness. Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy-to-make recipe is ideal for picnics, potlucks, or a quick, healthy lunch. Serve it chilled and let the fresh parsley and aromatic garlic powder add the perfect finishing touch to this crowd-pleaser. Looking for a high-protein, vegetarian pasta salad that’s as wholesome as it is delicious? Look no further!

Nutriscore Rating: 80/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 250 grams macaroni pasta
• 400 grams cooked chickpeas (or canned, drained and rinsed)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 0.5 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.25 teaspoons black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, then set aside.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chickpeas, diced red bell pepper, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, and chopped parsley.

Step 3

In a separate small bowl, whisk together olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

Step 4

Add the cooked and cooled macaroni to the bowl with the vegetables and chickpeas. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.

Step 5

Toss gently until everything is thoroughly coated with the dressing. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper, if needed.

Step 6

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 7

Serve chilled as a side dish or a light main course. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1124.9g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2510.3

Total Fat 101.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 12.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.0g
Cholesterol 60mg	0%
Sodium 2059.3mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 331.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 43.3g	0%
Total Sugars 37.1g
Protein 71.3g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 313.5mg	0%
Iron 16.9mg	0%
Potassium 2394.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 36.2%

Protein: 11.3%

Carbs: 52.5%