Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Pasta Salad

tomato cucumber pasta salad l

This tomato and cucumber pasta salad is fantastic, especially during the summer months when you can make it with fresh, local tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and herbs. It’s even more impressive when you consider it can work double duty as a nice side dish for a BBQ or as a complete meal thanks to the complete protein offered up by the legume (chickpeas) and pasta combination.

And it’s so darn pretty with all those colorful veggies.

Just like many of my recipes, you can totally tweak this recipe to make it suit your personal preferences. LOVE olives – go ahead add them. Don’t love red onions (me either!) take them out. Have extra zucchini from the garden – go ahead and swap them for some or all of the cucumbers. Only have kidney beans in the cupboard – okay, use those instead of the chickpeas. Need to use up some spinach, kale or romaine that’s hanging out in the fridge – yup, add that too, you may just need to make a little more dressing. Are you getting the idea – make this salad your own!

One of the things I wouldn’t change are the fresh herbs. The parsley and mint really add a lot to this salad. The mint really takes this from nice pasta salad to OMG this is SO good!

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This time, I used “Smart” pasta – that’s white pasta with extra fibre. It tasted great, but you know I’m a fan of whole grains, so next time I think I’ll go back to whole grain pasta. If you’re as keen as I am about whole grains, you might also consider this Wheatberry Mediterranean style salad or this Falafel Bulgur and Quinoa Salad.

Tomato and Cucumber Pasta Salad

tomato cucumber pasta salad sq
Print Recipe
4.78 from 9 votes

Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Pasta Salad

A tasty tomato and cucumber salad offering complete protein with a chickpea and pasta combination. Topped off with feta, fresh herbs and a light vinaigrette.
Prep : 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 375 grams 1 pkg short whole grain pasta (bowties, rotini, fusilli)
  • 4-5 medium tomatoes, diced in cubes
  • 1 long cucumber, diced in small cubes
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2
    red onion, diced in cubes
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Vinaigrette

  • 3 Tbsp canola oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Prepare pasta as directed on package. Drain and rinse with cold water, continue to drain.
  • In large salad bowl, gently toss together tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onions and olives.
  • Add cold, drained pasta. Top with cheese, mint and parsley.
  • Combine dressing ingredients in tightly sealed jar and shake vigorously.
  • Pour dressing over salad and let soak for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If tomatoes are very watery, remove some of the gel surrounding
the seeds.
Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 2178kcal | Carbohydrates: 327g | Protein: 80g | Fat: 75g | Sodium: 2605mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 21g | Iron: 18mg
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mediterranean Salad, Pasta Salad, Quick Meals

Pasta salads are great, but pasta has a way of soaking up a lot of flavor. If you have any leftovers to serve the next day, make sure you toss it up well and add a little more seasoning to give it the same glorious taste as on day one.

Speaking of leftovers and keeping this salad in the fridge – you can safely store this salad in the fridge up to 5 days. If you are taking it to a potluck or BBQ, remember summertime food safety. Food should never be left out for more than two hours and one hour if it’s super hot. If it’s going to be out longer than that, place it in a bucket of ice so that it stays at 4°C or less.

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If you try this recipe, let me know how you enjoyed it and what you did to make it truly your own. Oh and if you happen to be on instagram, tag me @getgettys so I can see it and like it!

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.

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