This past weekend, I was trying to prep something quick for my lunches for the week. I saw the zucchini I had in my fridge and some feta cheese and this recipe idea popped into my head. A deliciously light zucchini pasta salad with lemon, feta cheese, and garbanzo beans. A perfect desk lunch that is filling enough on its own but also pairs great with proteins for an ideal summer picnic or potluck side dish.
Inspiration:
There is a delicious recipe we use often for some Greek inspired chicken meatballs that have zucchini, lemon, herbs, and feta cheese, and that is the flavor profile I was going for but I wanted it in a pasta salad. I love Greek flavors. It’s easy sometimes to lump all Mediterranean food into one category, but Greek food is distinct. It is not the same as Lebanese food or Spanish food. It’s just a little lighter and simpler in my opinion. It usually features a lot of lemon, fresh herbs like mint, dill, and parsley, and feta cheese on EVERYTHING.
Greek cuisine also features a lot of grilled meats and honestly I can’t think of a better pairing for some grilled Greek style kabobs than this zucchini pasta salad. I highly recommend pairing it with our kafta pita burgers poolside this summer.
Ingredients:
Zucchini and Squash:
Zucchini and squash season is here and we love coming up with new ways to incorporate these vegetables in our cooking. I’ve come to love using zucchini and squash raw as they are without any cooking. They have a lovely mild flavor and it works just perfect for this zucchini pasta salad. It absorbs a lot of the lemony dressing and gives so much flavor. So skip the roasting or pan frying and just toss in your squash as it is!
Garbanzo Beans:
For some extra protein, I added garbanzo beans. We always have a few cans of these tucked away in the pantry. We use them often for the obvious hummus needs, but they are also great for a healthy vegetarian protein option in soups and salads. Just be sure to rinse them thoroughly before adding into the pasta.
Pasta:
For the pasta, I prefer penne for pasta salads, but really any kind of pasta works well — macaroni, shells, or rotini would also be great. You an also easily make this recipe gluten free by subbing a gluten free pasta.
Feta Cheese:
I’ve always loved a good feta cheese. We try to always keep some in the fridge because it’s great for salads or to top veggies. Sometimes we spring for a really good quality block and crumble it ourselves (this is the ideal option), but this time I just used what I had in my fridge which were some pre-packed crumbles. They still worked great.
Herbs and Walnuts:
Herbs are so vital for finishing a dish. It’s something so simple, and a little goes a long way, but it can completely change the flavor profile of a meal. It’s pretty hard to keep anything alive in our outdoor garden with the Texas weather, but we have a hearty herb garden that has made it through the hottest summers and some very cold winter storms. I opted for fresh mint and parsley in this recipe, but I think dill would also go great.
The other thing I love to finish salads with is nuts. We have so many different kinds of nuts and seeds we keep in the pantry. I use them on my overnight oats, to top salads, making my own nut milks, or just to snack on! I chose walnuts for this recipe, but pine nuts would also be a great option if you have some on hand.
Pairings:
Like I mentioned already above — this dish can absolutely stand on its own. I took it as my desk lunch all week. However, it also makes for a great accompaniment to any Mediterranean inspired protein options. Here are a few options for what to serve with this zucchini pasta salad:
Mediterranean Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb
Balsamic Glazed Chicken Kabobs
Zucchini Pasta Salad with Lemon, Garbanzo Beans, and Feta
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 2 Cups Dry Penne Or other pasta of your choice
- 2 Small Zucchini or Yellow Squash Halved and sliced thin
- 1 Lemon Zested (save to juice for the dressing)
- ½ Cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
- ½ Cup Walnuts Chopped
- ¼ Cup Fresh Mint and Parlsey Finely chopped
- 1 14.5 Ounce Can Garbanzo Beans Drained and rinsed
Lemon Dressing
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside to cool.
- While the pasta cooks, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk well.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the remaining pasta salad ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Before serving, add the dressing and toss well to combine.