Greek Pasta Salad with Pantry Ingredients and Tahini Dressing
This Greek pasta salad is so delicious and easy to prepare. All you have to do is to boil the pasta and add some affordable pantry ingredients. There is no chopping, cutting and slicing in this recipe. Everything comes sliced for you in a jar or can. The dressing also consists of yummy pantry ingredients that you stir in a bowl and pour over the salad.
This recipe doesn’t taste like a traditional pasta salad. If is so rich in flavors and textures. With every bite you have salty, sweet, spicy and tangy. I honesty enjoyed it very much and I couldn’t wait to share it with you.
Why should you make this recipe?
This Greek Pasta salad is easy to prepare. You need to boil some pasta and open few jars. You don’t need any knife or cooking skills. The whole recipe comes together in less than thirty minutes.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. I used chickpea pasta for this salad. If you have celiac disease, please read the ingredient lists of the canned or jarred products you use. Make sure that everything you add in this salad is certified as gluten-free.
You can serve this pasta salad to your vegan friends. It doesn’t contain any meat or animal products. It is also dairy free.
The Greek pasta salad is very nutritious. There are vegetables, legumes and healthy fats in the ingredient list. Every serving of this meal provides you with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and monounsaturated fats.
Helpful Tips
You can use whatever pasta you want for this recipe. I used chickpea rotini pasta from Barilla. Just make sure you refer to the package for cooking instructions.
Before you cook the pasta always add some salt in the boiling water. This will season the pasta while it cooks.
If you want to make this pasta heart healthy use low sodium canned and jarred products.
Be careful when you add salt to the dressing. Canned ingredients can be very salty. You may need just a pinch of salt in the dressing and in the pasta water.
Some of the olives I used for this recipe had pits. I prefer olives with pits because they have more flavor. You can use whatever olives you like. I don’t recommend serving olives with pits to small kids and elderly.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD QUALITY TAHINI?
A good quality tahini is made only from sesame seeds and nothing else. Check the ingredient list before purchasing. Some salt is acceptable, but no sugar or other oils should be listed. Real tahini is runny and pourable. If your tahini is too thick it is going to be bitter. That is considered a poor-quality tahini or the one that is collected from the bottom of the barrel. Stir or shake your tahini container before measuring because some natural oil separation may occur.
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Greek Pasta Salad with Pantry Ingredients and Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8.8 oz dry pasta (250g) I used chickpea rotini from Barilla
- 12 oz jar roasted bell peppers Drained, cut to strips. I used Great Value
- 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts Drained, I used Reese
- 6 oz can olives Drained, I used green and black olives
- ½ cup sliced peperoncini Drained, I used Mezzetta
For the Dressing
- 3 Tbsp Tahini
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove pressed or chopped finely
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To boil the pasta
- Add water in a deep pot and bring to boil. Add a pinch of salt to the water and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. When the pasta is cooked drain it from the water and transfer it in a deep bowl.
To make the dressing
- In a small bowl add the ingredients for the dressing (tahini, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar and slat and pepper to taste). Stir until combined,
To prepare the salad
- Drain and add the olives, peppers, artichoke hearts and peperoncini to the bowl with the pasta.
- Pour the dressing on top of the pasta salad and stir well.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
