Lunches are hard to break from what’s the normal cold cuts on bread. I love making this easy pasta salad (with chickpea pasta!) as a fun alternative to the normal lunch. It usually lasts us for a few days and I love adding different protein options depending on what I have in my fridge.
EASY LUNCH TIME COLD PASTA SALAD RECIPE WITH BANZA PASTA
Makes lunch for 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb banza pasta
- 1/2 red onion, thinly chopped (can use any onion on hand)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped olives (I used Spanish and kalamata)
- 1/4 cup dried craisons
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup white wine vinegar (or 1/2 cup for less tangy dressing)
- 1-2 tsp salt (depending on taste)
- 2 tsp dry oregano
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh herbs to garnish (I used parsley)
- black pepper to taste
- charcuterie meats, sliced in thin strips (salami, proscuito, dry coppa etc. we had a prepackaged antipasto set of these from dietz & watson)
Instructions
- Cook banza pasta as directed on box and then let cool.
- Mix olive oil, vinegar, salt, oregano, sugar, fresh herbs and pepper until fully combined in a large bowl.
- Chop red onion, tomatoes, and olives and mix in with dressing.
- Add craisons to bowl and mix .
- Add cooled pasta to dressing and veggie mixture and stir until combined.
- Serve in bowls and top with fresh herbs and sliced charcuterie meats and enjoy!
That’s it! I can not tell you how satisfying this meal was for a lunch. I basically just looked in my fridge and pantry to see what ingredients I had readily available. You can call it a pantry salad if you add in more canned veggies, beans and tuna. You could also easily use whatever vegetable you have in your fridge and top with a hard boiled egg for added protein. The dressing is nice and tangy with the white vine vinegar.
Other quick and easy recipes:
INSTANT POT CHICKEN WITH RICE AND VEGETABLES
INSTANT POT SHREDDED CHICKEN TACOS
GUILT FREE BLUEBERRY LEMON BLENDER MUFFINS
INSTANT POT HARD BOILED EGGS