High Protein Greek Pasta Salad (Printable)
Protein-packed Mediterranean salad with pasta, chicken or chickpeas, vegetables and feta in zesty yogurt dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 ounces whole wheat penne or rotini pasta
→ Protein
02 - 10.5 ounces cooked chicken breast, diced (or 1 can chickpeas, drained, for vegetarian option)
03 - 7 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese, cubed
04 - 7 ounces plain nonfat Greek yogurt
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 large cucumber, diced
06 - 7 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 2.8 ounces pitted Kalamata olives, halved
→ Dressing
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 - Optional: fresh dill or parsley, chopped
# How To Make:
01 - Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well, rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop cooking process, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled pasta, diced chicken or chickpeas, cubed feta cheese, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and Kalamata olives. Toss ingredients gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until smooth and fully emulsified.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over salad mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Garnish with chopped fresh dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate in airtight container for up to 48 hours to allow flavors to develop.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Greek yogurt dressing makes it incredibly creamy without being heavy
- It actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for busy weeks
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water is not optional, it prevents the salad from becoming a sticky clump
- The salad needs at least an hour in the fridge for all the Mediterranean flavors to really meld together
03 -
- Cut your vegetables slightly larger than you think you should, they shrink when tossed
- Let the feta come to room temperature before cubing so it doesnt crumble into tiny pieces