High-Protein Mediterranean Pasta Salad (Meatless Meal Prep)
This high-protein Mediterranean pasta salad is a quick 10-minute meatless meal prep made with protein noodles, garbanzo beans, fresh veggies, olives, artichokes, and feta. Packed with fiber and flavor, it’s the perfect healthy lunch option.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 oz protein pasta rotini, fusilli, or bowtie
- 1 can 15 oz garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large English cucumber diced
- ¼-½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup Kalamata olives sliced
- 1 cup artichoke hearts chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard optional but highly recommend
- 1 tsp honey optional, balances the acidity
- 1-1½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Let's Make It
- Cook protein pasta in heavily salted water. Slightly undercook it by about 30–60 seconds so it doesn’t get soft in the fridge.
- Drain and let it cool completely. (This is key for meal prep.)
- In a large bowl, combine: Cooled protein pasta, Garbanzo beans, Cherry tomatoes, Cucumber, Red onion, Parsley, Lemon zest, Olives, Artichokes, and Feta
- Whisk dressing ingredients separately until emulsified.
- Pour over the salad and toss well.
- Let it sit at least 30 minutes before serving.
- It honestly tastes even better the next day once everything soaks in.