High Protein Greek Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Protein-packed Mediterranean pasta with fresh vegetables, feta, and creamy yogurt dressing. Ideal for prep-ahead lunches.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 ounces whole wheat penne or rotini
→ Protein
02 - 10.5 ounces cooked chicken breast, diced or 1 can chickpeas, drained
03 - 7 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese, cubed
04 - 7 ounces Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 large cucumber, diced
06 - 7 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 3 ounces pitted Kalamata olives, halved
→ Dressing
10 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, chicken or chickpeas, feta cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and olives.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients.
05 - Garnish with chopped fresh dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days for flavors to meld.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You can make it on Sunday and eat it all week without the texture getting weird
- The protein keeps you full for hours while still feeling light and summery
02 -
- Rinse your pasta with cold water until it's completely cool or it'll keep cooking and turn into mush
- The dressing seems thick at first but thins out as it coats the pasta
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so every bite has the same ratio of ingredients
- Let the dressed salad sit for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors really develop