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This quick and easy summer pasta salad with vibrant artichokes and chickpeas is bright, vibrant, loaded with flavor, and perfect for summer potlucks, picnics, and family dinners! Plus, it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love Summer Pasta Salad
When it comes to simple, cost-effective pasta salad recipes, the options are endless. I’ve shared recipes for Mediterranean vegan pasta salad, sun dried tomato pasta salad, and orzo chickpea salad. This time, I’m sharing a crowd-pleasing artichoke pasta salad straight from my book Plant-Based on a Budget – it tastes like summer in a bowl.
This easy summer pasta salad recipe comes together in 30 minutes. It features artichokes, tomatoes (regular or sun-dried—but I prefer fresh), and chickpeas for heaps of meat-free satisfaction, using the liquid from the marinated artichoke hearts for a simple yet excellent dressing. It’s filling, great to make in advance, super adaptable, and perfect for Spring/Summer or year-round!
You might also like this quick and easy artichoke salad, spinach pasta salad, or artichoke potato salad with lemon dressing.
The Ingredients
Please refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and substitutes.
What Is The Best Pasta For Pasta Salad?
Use small pasta shapes with lots of ridges to cling/hold the dressing. I.e., fusilli, rotini, penne, bowtie (farfalle), cavatappi, elbow macaroni, etc. Use gluten-free pasta, if necessary.
What Could I Add to Summer Pasta Salad?
Make the most use of this super versatile, healthy summer pasta salad recipe by swapping out the add-ins based on what you have available:
- Black olives/ capers Capers (to add more briny flavor to pasta salad with artichoke hearts)
- Spinach (rolled and thinly sliced)
- Corn (canned or grilled)
- Other veg (boost this pasta salad with summer vegetables/ other veggies like zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, roasted red peppers)
- Cucumber (thin-peel like Japanese or English cucumbers are best)
- Avocado (add when serving for creaminess, healthy fats, and antioxidants)
- Fresh herbs (like fresh parsley or basil OR dried oregano/basil or Italian seasoning)
- Red pepper flakes (for spice)
- Vegan cheese (add rich, creamy cheesiness with dairy-free mozzarella or parmesan)
- Pine nuts/sunflower seeds (toasted for added flavor, crunch, and healthy fats)
Several changes can also be made to the dressing; adding vegan mayo for a creamy dressing or substituting it with vegan Italian dressing, lemon dressing, or vegan pesto.
How To Make Artichoke Pasta Salad
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
Step 1: Cook the pasta in salted water minus 1-2 minutes, until al dente. Drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, mince the onion and garlic, halve the cherry tomatoes, and zest, then juice the lemon and then sauté the onion and garlic until the onion becomes tender and translucent (about 3 minutes).
Step 2: Add the artichokes and their juices, chickpeas, lemon juice and zest, and salt. Simmer over medium for five minutes.
For quick cooling, toss a small amount of oil with the pasta, then spread it across a large tray OR rinse it under cold water.
Step 3: Add the pasta and mix well.
Step 4: Then, garnish with the tomatoes and a sprinkle of black pepper. Serve immediately for a warm pasta salad or chill it in the fridge, covered, for 30 minutes to enjoy chilled.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta in advance: To give it time to cool properly.
- Cook the pasta al dente: Try 1-2 minutes less than the packaging recommends. It won’t become soggy in the dressing, but isn’t uncomfortably chewy, either.
- Speed up prep: Use tools like a mandoline/food chopper to prep with minimal time/effort.
- Play with add–ins: This summer veggie pasta salad is super versatile and adaptable to what you have in your pantry/ crisper drawers, so have fun experimenting with a combination of flavors, textures, and colors.
FAQs for Summer Pasta Salad
You can make a similarly satisfying dish with giant couscous, orzo, or even protein-rich quinoa (check out this complete guide to quinoa).
This artichoke hearts pasta salad is naturally warm when first prepared, so enjoy it that way, if preferred. However, I usually enjoy it chilled on warm, sunny days.
Serving Suggestions
This simple vegan summer pasta salad with artichokes is a truly all-purpose summer side or main for potlucks, picnics, BBQs/cookouts, and family dinners, alongside:
- Vegan burgers (9 mouthwatering vegan burger recipes to try here), plant-based hotdogs, and kabobs (like these vegan kabobs with marinated tempeh)
- Grilled tofu steaks
- Healthy baked falafels or BBQ cauliflower wings
- Grilled vegetables (corn on the cob, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, etc.)
- Vegan bruschetta/crostini
- Vegan focaccia bread, tomato bread, or this easy vegan garlic bread
Storage Instructions
Store leftover summer vegetable pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Stir well between servings.
I don’t recommend freezing it.
Other Vegan Pasta Recipes to Consider….
Vegan Dinners
Pasta, Bean & Tomato Soup
Vegan Dinners
Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta
Vegan Dinners
Pumpkin Pasta Bake
Vegan Dinners
Amazing Avocado Pesto Pasta
If you tried this summer pasta salad recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound of your favorite pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small red, white, or yellow onion diced
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 1 (6.5-ounce) jar of marinated artichoke quarters with their juices
- 1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon of minced lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- Cherry tomatoes halved
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, boil water and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Remove from the heat and drain.
- While the pasta cools, begin on the veggies. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until the onion becomes tender and translucent.
- Add the artichokes and their juices, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta and mix well.
- Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with pepper.
- Serve warm if you’re rushed, or serve chilled if you have 30 minutes to spare.
Notes
-
- Cook the pasta in advance: To give it time to cool properly.
-
- Cook the pasta al dente: Try 1-2 minutes less than the packaging recommends. It won’t become soggy in the dressing, but isn’t uncomfortably chewy, either.
-
- Speed up prep: Use tools like a mandoline/food chopper to prep with minimal time/effort.
-
- Play with add–ins: This summer veggie pasta salad is super versatile and adaptable to what you have in your pantry/ crisper drawers, so have fun experimenting with a combination of flavors, textures, and colors.
