Chickpea Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 140g / 1 cup Dry Ditalini Pasta
• 4 to 5 cups Water
• Generous amount of salt (1 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt recommended)
• 2 cups / 1 can COOKED Chickpeas (Low Sodium)
• 100g / 3/4 cup finely chopped Celery
• 70g / 1/2 cup chopped Red Onion
• 30g / 1/2 cup chopped Green Onion
• Salt to taste

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• 60g / 1 cup Fresh Parsley (thoroughly washed)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (chopped or to taste)
• 2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 3 Tablespoon White Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar (or to taste)
• 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup (or to taste)
• 4 Tablespoon Olive Oil (organic cold pressed recommended)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Method

1. Drain 2 cups of home-cooked or canned chickpeas and allow them to sit in a strainer until all excess water is drained.
2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the dry ditalini pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Allow it to sit in the strainer until all excess water is drained to ensure the dressing sticks.
3. For the salad dressing, blend fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cayenne until well blended but still textured (similar to pesto). Adjust garlic, vinegar, and maple syrup to your taste.
4. To assemble the pasta salad, in a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cooked chickpeas, dressing, chopped celery, red onion, and green onion. Mix well until everything is coated with dressing.
5. Serve the pasta salad with a side of your choice. This salad is ideal for meal prep, storing well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when kept in an airtight container.

Important Tips

• Ensure chickpeas are fully drained before using.
• Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water and drain thoroughly.
• Add salad dressing gradually, tasting as you go, to reach desired flavor.
• This chickpea pasta salad is excellent for meal planning due to its longevity in storage.