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Lemon Herb Pasta Salad

Lemon Herb Pasta Salad

Lemon Herb Pasta Salad Recipe (Fresh, Zesty & Perfect for Summer)

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 375 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta Salad

  • 12 ounces farfalle or penne pasta — farfalle bow ties and penne are the most repeated shapes on the first page, praised for holding dressing well
  • 1 can 15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed — the most popular protein in the top results and a proven source of plant-based staying power
  • 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
  • 1 cup baby spinach or arugula lightly packed
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese or ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • ¼ cup red onion very thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped — mint is a repeated second-tier herb across multiple top results
  • ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts for garnish​

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil — the universal base across all first-page dressings
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 large lemon
  • 1½ teaspoons lemon zest — zest is explicitly called for in multiple top recipes because it delivers concentrated citrus oils that juice alone cannot
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar — adds depth without darkening the dressing
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard — emulsifier and flavor sharpener used by several top recipes
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves finely grated or minced
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup — a small amount of sweetness to balance the acid used by multiple top results
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Keyword Lemon Herb Pasta Salad