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Overhead view of chickpea rotini salad with salami strips, mozzarella pearls and halved tomatoes in a white bowl

High Protein Pasta Salad: Salami, Mozzarella, 39 g Per Bowl

A cold pasta salad with 41 g protein per 495 g serving, made from chickpea pasta, salami, mozzarella and chickpeas. It serves 4 and keeps 3 to 4 days.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 338
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 340 g chickpea rotini, dry (12 oz)
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
  • 115 g Genoa salami, thinly sliced (4 oz); stacked and cut into 1 cm strips
  • 225 g fresh mozzarella pearls (8 oz); drained and patted dry
  • 1 can canned chickpeas (425 g / 15 oz); drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cucumber medium (200 g); quartered lengthwise and sliced 1 cm thick
  • 1/2 red onion small (60 g); thinly sliced
  • 60 g pepperoncini (about 1/3 cup); sliced
  • 30 g Parmesan (about 1/3 cup); finely grated
  • 15 g fresh basil leaves (1/2 cup loosely packed); torn
Dressing
  • 45 ml olive oil (3 tbsp)
  • 45 ml red wine vinegar (3 tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp pepperoncini brine
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Fill a 6-quart / 5.7 L pot with 4 L / 4 quarts of water, add 1 tbsp kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, grated garlic, oregano, pepperoncini brine, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper to a 16-oz / 473 ml jar, seal and shake until it looks creamy.
  2. While the water heats, halve the tomatoes, slice the cucumber and red onion, slice the pepperoncini, cut the salami into 1 cm strips, and pat the chickpeas and mozzarella pearls dry with a clean towel.
  3. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir right away and cook for about 7 minutes, 1 minute short of the package time, until al dente with a slight bite. Drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds until no steam rises, then shake well.
  4. Combine the pasta, salami, mozzarella, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepperoncini in a 5-quart / 4.7 L mixing bowl. Shake the dressing again, pour it over, add the Parmesan and half the basil, and toss gently until every piece is coated. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
  5. Taste, add a pinch of salt only if needed, and divide among 4 bowls, about 495 g each. Top with the remaining basil and black pepper.

Notes

  • Protein per serving is about 41 g, from pasta, mozzarella, salami, chickpeas and Parmesan.
  • Use 340 g dry chickpea pasta, which has about 11 g protein per 56 g.
  • Chill at least 15 minutes so the dressing settles into the pasta.
  • Pat chickpeas and mozzarella dry before tossing so the dressing stays glossy.