lemon chickpea, tomato, and avocado pasta salad

Sometimes, when you toss randomness together in a bowl, you get awesomeness.

I’m transitioning into vacation mode this week, which means peering into my bottomless pit of a fridge and pulling out shit I should probably eat before I depart on Friday. Luckily (or unluckily) for me, most of the blockage is jars of condiments. How in the fuck did I accumulate so many condiments? I could cover a whole shelf with ’em!

While this pasta salad didn’t come into existence this week, the day I created it I found myself in a similar scenario. Veggies that were in their prime and I had no specific use for demanded an end to their tenure in my cooler. Most precisely, a beautiful arrangement of multihued tomatoes. I could not let those gems go unanswered for, so I dug and dug until out of my arsenal I pulled out pasta salad.

And I tell you, it worked quite well!

Prior to departure I also like to eat simply in general, maybe gearing my gut up for the indulgent noms I’m likely to enjoy on the road. This healthful, colorful pasta salad is perfect as a pre-trip dump dinner, a spring and summer picnic fixture, or for weekly meal prep. Most everything involved probably exists in your larders already. Quick, but totally tasty. Just the way I like it right now.

Pasta Party

If you’re like me (I hope you’re not) you likely have a bag of random-ass pasta occupying a corner of your cabinet. Pull that dude out. We’re using him today.

Cooking the pasta is your only encounter with anything hot in this recipe, so get some water boiling and the pasta bathing in his hot tub while you prep the rest of the salad.

Yes, it really is this effortless. Stop questioning me, you nerds.

I usually make the vinaigrette first to get the shakes out of my system. Because I usually make it in a jar and shake it, not because I’m cold or particularly jittery. Well, sometimes I am, but that’s neither here nor there…The tasting notes are dominated by bright lemon and some dijon mustard, as well as a touch of garlic and white balsamic vinegar. Whisk or shake everything until well combined. I like to add salt and pepper at the end to better customize how much or little I end up wanting in the dressing.

Netxt, halve some cute and pretty little cherry tomatoes, dice and avocado, and chop up a head of romaine. Or just buy a bag pre-shredded. I don’t give a shit. Drain out some chickpeas, too. Have it all at the ready once the noods are developed.

Toss It Out the Window

Actually, don’t. A bowl works better.

When the pasta’s nice and al dente, drain and rinse under cool water. I don’t always enlist the cold-water trick, but here we don’t want the noodles too hot else the vinaigrette will just sink into the glutenous squigglies and kinda disappear. Not ideal.

Add your nice, chilled out pasta into a big bowl. Or, a Dutch oven, in my case, cos my bowls weren’t big enough.

Throw in the romaine, some fresh dill and basil, tomatoes, chickpeas, avocado, and feta cheese. Pour that glorious vinaigrette overtop and mix it all together until everything is slick with dressing. Fucken fabulous.

I serve the pasta salad with extra black pepper, because fresh cracked pepper is just dope, and some more herbs from my little herb garden outside. I’d probably add some blackened shrimp for a protein boost. A crisp rose or white wine sounds lovely, too. Now I want wine.

Today’s my only real workday before I head on my trip. Halleloo! Hope you have something nice to look forward to this week, too. Always helps.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Serious salads for un-serious folks:

Strawberry Fields Avocado Quinoa Salad with Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Warm and Spicy Southwest Quinoa Kale Salad with Chipotle Tahini Ranch

Sesame Crusted Salmon Salad Bowls