bbq chickpea cheddar ranch pasta salad
If I were to ever say I prefer ranch over Caesar in any format, it might in this BBQ Chickpea Cheddar Ranch Pasta salad.
Warmed up weather means pasta salad. I say that even though it’s currently 50 degrees in Monterey, where I’m staying for another day, and won’t get much warmer between here and San José and Chicago. I’m sure once I’m home I’ll ignite and this big bowl of hearty yet fresh fixings will soothe my carby cravings.
As I write this on Monday, I’m recovering from the Big Sur Marathon and prepared to let my body guide my eating for the week. I usually reach for veggie-heavy platters as is, but race recovery lends a bit more flexibility in eating since all systems are quite mashed up and confused. Particularly after a three-day carb load and sucking down gels and Gatorade during the race. Marathon nutrition is not what I’d seek to eat everyday, man. It’s rough and rather bland.
If, though, a restaurant were to serve something along the lines of this pasta salad, I’d have a grab at it. Thankfully, whipping it up at home is even easier than ordering an overpriced bowl of greens from a restaurant and the leftovers are quite stupendous if you need lunch for the week. Crispy roasted chickpeas tossed in bbq sauce, neighbored by cubes of cheddar and avocado in a bed of fusili pasta, or whichever cut you prefer. The finishing touch? An herby, fresh Greek yogurt ranch drizzled into the salad and served alongside in case you need a bit more sauce on your plate.
Won’t You Be My Sweet Chickypea?
The key to good crispy chickpeas is drying them well after rinsing off the goop. I just use paper towels and give them a good rub. Some of the skins will come off, and that’s fine.
Toss the chickpeas with oil and roast for a bit to pre-crisp. Then, stir the ‘peas around in your favorite bbq sauce – I’d go for a good quality brand or make your own, to avoid weird levels of high fructose corn syrup and the like (unless you’re into that) – and roast a bit longer to thicken the sauce and create a delectably coated batch for the salad.
The rest is quite straightforward. Boil off some pasta – I like to start the water before I rinse the chickpeas and get the pasta cooked up while the chickpeas roast – and strain with cool water to stop the cooking. I don’t like my pasta piping hot when I add the remaining ingredients, a bit warm is good to slightly melt the cheese. Love me some melty cheese.
Dressed to, well, Dress
Finish the array with an easy Greek yogurt ranch. I use a combination of fresh and dried herbs to achieve the classic ranch dressing flavor, as well as a bit of buttermilk to get the consistency right. I like a thicker dressing so I don’t use too much of the milk, maybe 2 tablespoons, but you can add more if you’d like it a bit more viscous. Buttermilk isn’t fully necessary: you can use whatever you have on hand as well.
I also generally prefer using a food processor, but if you don’t have one or feel a bit sassy, just chop up the fresh herbs really finely and mix in a bowl or jar. Just as tasty.
With everything cooked, sliced, and diced, assemble the pasta. Toss everything together in one bowl, spill probably half of it like I did, and dish out with the rest of the ranch on the side.
Keep this recipe in your back pocket when you need colorful and flavorful. Which for me, is always. It’s healthy and bright and creamy, yet not overly so. Easy to pack for work or, shit, a relaxing outdoor picnic, or as a contribution to a potluck. Trust me, everyone will gobble it up. If you don’t swipe all of it first yourself.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Need more chickpeas?
No Stir Pesto Risotto with Butter Roasted Mushrooms and Chickpeas
Thai Basil Peanut Braised Fish and Chickpeas
Weeknight Sticky Sesame Jalapeno Chickpea Meatballs
bbq chickpea cheddar ranch pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup your favorite bbq sauce
- 1 lb short cut pasta (I like fusili)
- 2 cups arugula or shredded romaine
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
greek yogurt ranch
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2-4 tbsp buttermilk, or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- Dry the chickpeas well with paper towels and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chickpeas from the oven and toss with the bbq sauce. Roast an additional 5-10 minutes until thickened and crispy.
- In a food processor, combine the ingredients for the ranch dressing and whip until smooth. Alternatively, chop the fresh herbs finely and stir in a large bowl or jar. Add milk as needed to thin.
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with 1/2 of the ranch, chickpeas, the arugula or lettuce, cheddar cubes, avocado, basil, parsley, and cherry tomatoes. Serve with the remainder of the dressing.
