High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad
Fresh, flavorful, and packed with protein, this high-protein Italian pasta salad with chicken, beans, and mozzarella is perfect for easy meals or get-togethers!
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
For The Pasta Salad:
- 1 pound dried protein pasta or pasta of choice
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast chopped or shredded (about 10-12 ounces)
- 1, 15.5- ounce can of cannellini beans or chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup English cucumber diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or shredded light mozzarella
- 1/3 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup black olives sliced
- 1/3 cup pepperoncini slices optional
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil optional
For The Italian Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or stone-ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Then, drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Let it cool completely.
- Prepare the other ingredients. Chop or shred the cooked chicken. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, finely dice the red onion, slice the olives and pepperoncini, and chop the fresh basil. Rinse and drain the beans.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, mozzarella, beans, pepperoncini, and basil.
- Make the Dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve the pasta salad immediately or cover and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend further.
Video
Notes
- Pasta: Use your favorite high-fiber, high-protein pasta. Or, use your pasta of choice such as rotini, penne, or fusilli.
- Salami: For a classic Italian deli flavor, add 1 ½ to 2 ounces of salami or turkey pepperoni, sliced or diced.
- Red Wine Vinegar Swap: You can replace the red wine vinegar in the dressing with lemon juice.
- Vegetarian Option: Omit the chicken and add an extra can of cannellini or garbanzo beans.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 360mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g