Chickpea Tortellini Pasta Salad

This chickpea tortellini pasta salad is the perfect quick lunch for those days you want something comforting yet nutritious. Bonus — it’s ready in just 15 minutes!

We absolutely love tortellini in our home, which means I always have at least a pack in the fridge. I like to add them to soups, like this Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup, or to whip up a quick dinner like this Italian Sausage and Tortellini Skillet.

But one of my favorite ways to enjoy tortellini on a hot summer day is in a pasta salad. This chickpea tortellini pasta salad is the kind of recipe I live for — it has an excellent combination of carbs, protein and fiber for a balanced yet comforting meal.

It only takes 15 minutes to make and you can obviously customize it to your heart’s content.

I typically make it with just canned chickpeas, juicy cherry tomatoes, green olives and loads of fresh parsley, but you can definitely add cucumbers, artichoke hearts, feta cheese or even shredded chicken. The possibilities are endless!

What you’ll need

Tortellini — Any tortellini work well in this salad — just cook them according to package instructions before tossing them with the rest of the ingredients. I typically make them with cheese tortellini but plant-based tortellini are also great to make the pasta salad vegan.

Chickpeas — Canned chickpeas are great for convenience but you can also use chickpeas that you’ve cooked from dried.

Veggies — I like to make this salad with cherry tomatoes, green olives and red onion, but you can add just about any veggies you like here. See the Substitutions and Variations section below.

Fresh herbs — Fresh parsley pairs perfectly with the tortellini and chicken but you can also use fresh basil if you like.

Extra virgin olive oil — A good quality olive oil makes all the difference in the dressing.

White vinegar — You can substitute this with freshly squeezed lemon juice if you like.

Garlic — I love a garlicky dressing myself, but feel free to adjust the quantity to your liking.

How to make tortellini pasta salad with chickpeas

This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. The full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Cook the tortellini 1 minute less than it says on the package instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, crushed garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

In a large bowl, add the cooked tortellini, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green olives, and parsley.

Add the dressing and toss gently to combine.

Substitutions and variations

Like with most pasta salads, the possibilities are endless when it comes to substitutions. Here are some great ideas:

• Cooked chicken
• Shrimp
• Crispy tofu
• Feta cheese
• Sliced pepperoni
• Roasted red peppers
• Kalamata olives
• Baby spinach
• Sundried tomatoes
• Fresh cucumbers
• Grilled zucchini
• Agave syrup or honey (for a bit of sweetness in the dressing)
• Lemon juice (for the dressing)
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Leftovers and storage

• Store the chickpea tortellini salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It tastes even better after a couple of hours, so it’s great to make it ahead!
• Give the salad a gentle toss before serving leftovers to redistribute the dressing and ingredients.
• This salad is best enjoyed cold or at room temperature, and I wouldn’t recommend freezing it.

If you’ve tried this chickpea tortellini pasta salad recipe, please rate it and comment below! I’d love to hear how it turned out.