Fall Pasta Salad with Ginger Dijon Dressing
Bursting with zesty, sweet, and refreshing flavors, this fall-inspired pasta salad is great for lunch and meal prep!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 713kcal
Ingredients
For the salad
- 8 ounces protein pasta or pasta of choice
- 15 ounce can chickpeas
- ¼ cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
- ½ cup pecan pieces or roughly chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or to taste
- 4 ounces Vermont sharp cheddar
- 2 heaping cups shredded kale ~2 ounces; see note #1
- olive oil as needed
- salt as needed
- 1 medium Gala apple or apple of choice
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt
- fresh ginger peeled
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package instructions, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Transfer to a bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute (optional, helps absorb lemon juice more quickly). Drizzle with ¼ cup lemon juice, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally until toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with brown sugar, stirring to coat.
- Dice the cheddar into small cubes, about ¼-inch. Set aside.
- To make the dressing, add to a small jar: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt. Use a Microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater to grate in roughly ½ teaspoon of ginger paste. Shake or whisk together until emulsified, then taste for seasonings, adding the remaining maple syrup and additional ginger if desired.
- Add the shredded kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of oil and add a pinch of salt. Massage for about 30 seconds to break down the kale. Toss with the pasta and ½ of the dressing.
- Dice the apple into small cubes, then add to the pasta salad along with the toasted pecans and cubed cheddar. Use a slotted spoon to add the chickpeas to the salad. Toss to combine well.
- I eat the salad immediately, but if you prefer a fully chilled salad you can cover it and chill for an hour. Add the remaining dressing just before serving. If making for meal prep, store the remaining dressing in small containers and add just before eating. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Kale: I buy shredded kale in a bag. If you buy a bunch of kale, shred the leaves yourself by cutting away the hard stems, then stacking the leaves and cutting into thin strips, about ¼-inch. Feel free to chop and add the stems, if you like their texture/flavor.
- Crispy chickpea option: The first time I made this recipe I use air fried chickpeas. I liked this option, but it doesn't work as well for meal prep and makes it a more involved recipe. If you do want to go the crispy chickpeas route, I recommend adding a pinch of chili powder and smoked paprika then roasting at 400F for 13-15 minutes (air fryer) or 425F for 25-30 minutes (oven).
- Nutrition calculations are an estimation and will vary based on ingredients used. These calculations were made using Barilla Protein+ pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 713kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 2mg
