COOK: Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Great for Meal-Prep & Parties!
- Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Kitchen Equipment Needed
- How to Make Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Storage & Safe Serving Suggestions
- Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
This roasted chickpea and broccoli pasta salad is so hearty and flavorful, you won’t believe it’s vegan! This makes a great vegetarian entree, or a satisfying side dish. The roasted vegetables and chickpeas add depth and a great texture to this salad, and marinated artichokes, olives, and capers add a bright tang.
This vegan pasta salad is great to bring to your next picnic or whip up a batch for a BBQ or outdoor dinner party, and you can customize it to suit your guests’ tastes. I use a quick vinaigrette to dress this salad, but you can substitute your favorite quality Italian dressing if you’re in a rush.
I like to serve this roasted veggie pasta salad recipe as a light lunch, as a side dish with grilled meats or fish, or on top of a bed of mixed greens for a dinner salad.
Great for Meal-Prep & Parties!
I used a full pound of dried pasta to make a big batch of roasted chickpea broccoli pasta salad for this recipe, but you could cut all of the quantities in half if you aren’t cooking for a crowd or don’t like leftovers.
We’re usually just cooking for the two of us, but I like to make big batches of cold pasta salads like this one before really hot weather hits so we don’t have to heat up the kitchen! A little planning here helps out a lot, especially when you don’t have central AC or are trying to save energy. Make this in the morning or late evening when it’s cooler, and you have lunches and sides prepped for when it’s too hot to cook.
I’ve even made a triple batch of this roasted chickpea & broccoli pasta salad to take to a church block party. This recipe scales up easily to feed a crowd, and since it’s vegan, almost everyone can enjoy it. You could use gluten-free pasta to make it really diet-inclusive. However, I find most gluten-free pastas don’t hold up as well to advance prep, so you might want to just make a separate smaller batch if you need to feed gluten-sensitive folks as well.
If you are using a prepared dressing (instead of the vinaigrette in the recipe), make sure you check the ingredients for dairy, egg, gluten, and other common allergens and let your party guests know!
Some of the prep photos below are from a party-sized batch, so don’t be worried if your salad ingredients look smaller than these photos!
Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad Ingredients
Pasta:
You can use a variety of short pasta shapes for this pasta salad. I used fusilli, but other good options are farfalle, fusilli, gemelli, penne, rotini, cavatappi, radiatori, or rotelle.
Use your favorite shape, or even a combination of two or three if they have the same cooking times (or if you are willing to cook them separately).
Always cook pasta for pasta salads al dente (firm, meaning “to the tooth”). This will prevent soggy pasta when it absorbs the dressing and any moisture from the other ingredients!
If you aren’t serving the pasta salad right away while it’s still warm, shock the pasta by rinsing it with very cold water immediately after draining it. This will stop the cooking, and help keep it from getting soggy.
Chickpeas:
You can use leftover or freshly cooked chickpeas, or save time with canned chickpeas! Chickpeas add plant-based protein and fiber to make this pasta salad extra filling and nutritious.
We’re roasting the chickpeas with olive oil and some seasonings, which makes them a little bit chewy, nutty, and so delicious.
I like to season mine with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and some ground cumin, which accents their earthy flavor, but you can use your favorite seasonings if you want to switch it up.
Broccoli:
Fresh broccoli florets are best in this recipe, but you could use frozen in a pinch. Frozen broccoli will be less firm than fresh when roasted, but it will still have a good flavor.
If you use frozen broccoli, roast it directly from frozen without thawing it first, and make sure your oven and sheet pans are preheated for the best results.
Wash and slice the broccoli into bite-size pieces. If you are using whole fresh broccoli stalks, peel the tough outer layer from the stems and dice the tender inner flesh, which is quite sweet and tasty! Save the stalks for broccoli & potato soup if you prefer, but don’t toss them, they’re really tasty once you peel them properly.
You can also use bagged fresh ready-to-use broccoli florets if you’re in a hurry (I prefer buying whole florets, which are usually fresher and less expensive, but if you’ve got more money than time, the bagged ones are faster to prep).
Toss the broccoli with olive oil and seasonings in the large mixing bowl, or just spread it out on the sheet pan and drizzle and sprinkle the seasonings over, stirring to coat.
Tomatoes:
If you have really good quality flavorful heirloom or cherry tomatoes, you can simply rinse & dice these to add to the salad.
However, if you are working with bland or mealy grocery-store tomatoes, roasting them will give them a big flavor boost (and since you’re already roasting the broccoli and chickpeas, doesn’t add a lot of hassle to the prep).
Roast the tomatoes on another quarter or half sheet pan (or with the broccoli). Cherry tomatoes can be roasted whole. Roma or other paste tomatoes can be left whole or halved for faster roasting. Slicing tomatoes are best either roasted whole, or just diced and added fresh.
Let the tomatoes cool slightly after roasting, then remove as much of the skin as you can (save this in your freezer stock bag as it has a lot of flavor). Dice the roasted tomatoes with a sharp metal spatula or on a cutting board, and add any juices from the pan to the salad.
Celery:
Wash and trim your celery, then dice or thinly slice it. I include the finer leaves from the heart and both white and green parts of the stalk.
The coarser outer leaves and any tough stalks I usually save for stock. You can remove the strings before chopping, but I don’t bother unless they’re particularly fibrous.
Olives:
I like to use a sharp, salty kalamata olive in this pasta salad, which contrasts nicely with the peppery arugula and creamy dressing.
If you don’t prefer these (or don’t have any) you could substitute black or regular green olives, or even oil-cured black olives.
Whichever you choose, make sure they are pitted, and chop them roughly or in halves if they are not already sliced.
Artichoke Hearts:
These are optional, but add a lot of flavor, so add them if you can! I use sliced marinated artichoke hearts here, along with their marinade, but you can also use regular canned ones. Dice them into smaller pieces so that they mix well with the salad.
The artichokes add a sweetness and tang to the dressing, and a little bit of them is a big flavor boost for this pasta salad!
Italian Dressing:
If you’re in a rush, you can use your favorite Italian or Greek dressing or basic vinaigrette here, or mix up a quick batch of this homemade dressing (which is my preference). If you used the marinated artichoke hearts, save the marinade and add this to your dressing. Otherwise, add a bit more olive oil and lemon or wine vinegar to taste if you think it needs it.
Remember to check the ingredients list if you are using a commercial dressing and need this salad to be vegan, and make sure there aren’t dairy or egg ingredients (if you or your guests don’t have dietary restrictions, this doesn’t matter, but might if you’re serving a crowd).
This homemade pasta salad dressing is simple- olive oil, lemon juice or wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, some herbs & garlic, capers, plenty of freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt. You can add a teaspoon of honey or sugar if you like, especially if you aren’t using artichoke hearts.
Put all the ingredients in a mason jar, put the lid on, and shake it up! So easy. Or, even easier, make the dressing in the pasta salad mixing bowl before you add the roasted vegetables and chickpeas. One bowl, a whisk, and no extra mess!
Kitchen Equipment Needed
sheet pans:
You can use half-sheet pans or quarter-sheet pans to roast the chickpeas, broccoli, and the tomatoes. If you don’t have three pans or want to save dishes, you can roast the tomato halves with the broccoli on one half-sheet pan (or skip roasting the tomatoes and add them to the salad fresh).
You can also use other baking dishes, just make sure your cookie sheets or pans have a shallow lip or rim to catch the juices from the roasting vegetables, and that they aren’t so deep or overcrowded that the veggies steam instead of roasting.
Pasta pot & strainer:
You’ll need a pot large enough to boil your pasta with room to move so that it doesn’t stick… A six to eight quart pot is ideal. If you have a pot with a strainer insert, that’s especially handy but not necessary.
Mixing Bowl:
You’ll need a large mixing bowl or two to toss the pasta salad ingredients together. You may want a prettier serving bowl or a large resealable container if you are bringing this pasta salad with you to a party, or save yourself some dishes and just serve it from the mixing bowl.
How to Make Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
prep ingredients:
- Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Put a large covered pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Wash, drain, and chop the broccoli into florets, peeling & dicing the stalks if present.
- Spread these out on a sheet pan and drizzle with half of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper (I add a pinch of garlic powder as well). You can also toss the broccoli with the oil and seasonings in your large mixing bowl, then spread on the pan, if you prefer.
- Drain the canned or cooked chickpeas and spread them out on another sheet pan with the other half of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Optional- Roast the tomatoes on another sheet pan (or with the broccoli). Cherry tomatoes can be roasted whole. Roma or other paste tomatoes can be left whole or halved for faster roasting. You can skip this step if you have very flavorful fresh tomatoes, and add them simply diced (or halved, for cherry toms) to the pasta salad. Roasting helps boost the flavor of bland tomatoes though!
roast veg & cook pasta:
- Roast the broccoli, chickpeas, and tomatoes until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, and the chickpeas are golden and lightly chewy. This should take bout 25-35 minutes.
- Stir or shake the sheet pans once or twice while they are cooking, and rotate them halfway through if your oven heat is uneven.
- While the veggies are roasting, cook pasta in rapidly boiling salted water according to package directions.
drain pasta & mix dressing:
- Drain and shock the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again.
- If you are making the homemade salad dressing, whisk that together now in the large mixing bowl you’ll be making your pasta salad in (otherwise, measure out your Italian dressing). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Chop the celery, parsley, olives, and artichoke hearts and add these to the mixing bowl with the dressing.
- Remove the roasted veggies and chickpeas from the oven and let them cool slightly.
combine pasta salad ingredients:
- Add the roasted broccoli and chickpeas along with the olive oil from their pans to the bowl. A bench scraper or spatula is helpful here.
- If you roasted your tomatoes, remove the skins and roughly chop them. Otherwise, dice the fresh tomatoes and add them to the salad, mixing gently to combine all vegetables and the dressing.
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl. Fold together all ingredients, tossing well until everything is well combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve (or chill to serve cold).
Storage & Safe Serving Suggestions
This roasted chickpea broccoli pasta salad is best made at least an hour or two in advance so that it has time to chill and for the flavors to come together. However, you can also serve this as a warm pasta dish immediately after making it!
You can easily make this hearty vegan pasta salad in advance for your party or picnic, or to meal-prep for easy cold lunches or dinner sides. Keep cold, and refrigerate leftovers for up to four days.
If you are serving this at an outdoor party and the temperatures are going to be high, make up smaller containers and only put out a little bit at a time, or nestle the serving bowls in a larger bowl filled with ice to help keep them cool for food safety. Discard any leftovers that sat out for more than 2 hours, especially if they weren’t on ice or in a cooler.
Roasted Chickpea & Broccoli Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz fusilli or other short pasta shape
Roasted Broccoli & Chickpeas
- 2 cups broccoli florets, washed and finely chopped 2 ½ cups, approx.
- 16 oz can chickpeas, drained (or about 1 ½ cups cooked & drained)
- ⅓ cup olive oil (divided)
- 2 tsp flaky or kosher salt (or to taste, or sub less regular salt)
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground (or to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (optional, to season chickpeas)
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional, for broccoli)
Fresh Veggies
- 1 cup diced tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
- ¾ cup celery hearts with leaves, washed & small diced
- ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained & diced (reserve marinade for dressing)
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted & chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley (I prefer flat-leaf parsley but curly will work)
Pasta salad dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup reserved artichoke heart marinade (approx, or use olive brine)
- ¼ cup wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 2 tbsp capers (optional)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaves (can sub fresh)
- ½ tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves minced fresh garlic
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
prep ingredients:
- Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Put a large covered pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Wash, drain, and chop the broccoli into florets, peeling & dicing the stalks if present.
- Spread these out on a sheet pan and drizzle with half of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper (I add a pinch of garlic powder as well). You can also toss the broccoli with the oil and seasonings in your large mixing bowl, then spread on the pan, if you prefer.
- Drain the canned or cooked chickpeas and spread them out on another sheet pan with the other half of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Optional- Roast the tomatoes on another sheet pan (or with the broccoli). Cherry tomatoes can be roasted whole. Roma or other paste tomatoes can be left whole or halved for faster roasting. You can skip this step if you have very flavorful fresh tomatoes, and add them simply diced (or halved, for cherry toms) to the pasta salad. Roasting helps boost the flavor of bland tomatoes though!
roast veg & cook pasta:
- Roast the broccoli, chickpeas, and tomatoes until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, and the chickpeas are golden and lightly chewy. This should take bout 25-35 minutes.
- Stir or shake the sheet pans once or twice while they are cooking, and rotate them halfway through if your oven heat is uneven.
- While the veggies are roasting, cook pasta in rapidly boiling salted water according to package directions.
drain pasta & mix dressing:
- Drain and shock the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again.
- If you are making the homemade salad dressing, whisk that together now in the large mixing bowl you’ll be making your pasta salad in (otherwise, measure out your Italian dressing). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Chop the celery, parsley, olives, and artichoke hearts and add these to the mixing bowl with the dressing.
- Remove the roasted veggies and chickpeas from the oven and let them cool slightly.
combine pasta salad ingredients:
- Add the roasted broccoli and chickpeas along with the olive oil from their pans to the bowl. A bench scraper or spatula is helpful here.
- If you roasted your tomatoes, remove the skins and roughly chop them. Otherwise, dice the fresh tomatoes and add them to the salad, mixing gently to combine all vegetables and the dressing.
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl. Fold together all ingredients, tossing well until everything is well combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve (or chill for at least one hour to serve cold).
Nutrition
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