You probably know about my obsession with Banza chickpea pasta by now (if not, see my 15-Minute Banza Pasta with Veggies) and with summer BBQ season upon us, I was excited to put a flavorful and good-for-you twist on the classic pasta salad.
Tzatziki: hard to pronounce, easy to make
I love using Greek yogurt in place of mayo so I thought why not go all the way Greek and make the dressing a zippy, lemony tzatziki sauce — still not sure if I’m saying it correctly but definitely sure that it tastes great. The tzatziki gives the salad a nice refreshing flavor, raw vegetables add lots of crunch, and the high-protein Banza pasta makes it filling.
As always, my goal is for my recipes to be so delicious that no one can can tell they’re ‘healthy.’ I genuinely get excited when I see people enjoy real, nutritious food, whether it’s a veggie-loaded meal or a naturally sweetened dessert. And of course that’s exactly why I started this blog — hoping to inspire all of you, one by one!
But when offering up healthier food, sometimes expectations have to be managed a little, and someone who’s used to processed food with added sugars, lots of meat, etc. may need time to adjust. And this applies to both mindset and taste buds — it’s definitely a gradual shift and everyone is different. There will probably always be that person who wants to be left alone with their hot dog and Diet Coke, and I try to understand since that was literally me not too long ago…LOL.
Anyway, back to the expectations: this is one of those dishes that might need a little asterisk next to it — if someone has a bite expecting it to be the all-American pasta salad that’s ~50 percent mayo, they might be disappointed. But the freshness and flavor in this salad will keep most of us reaching for more, and that’s all I can ask 🙂
If you love Mediterranean food and want to mix things up, give this salad a try! It’s a great make-ahead dish, too.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 9- oz package Banza chickpea pasta* - I used cavatappi
- 3 cups, packed, lacinato/Tuscan kale - about ½ bunch
- 1 small cucumber, roughly peeled & chopped into small chunks (~1 cup)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes (drained if in oil), sliced
- ¼ cup hemp seeds - optional
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese - optional
Tzatziki
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ideally grass-fed**
- ½ tsp lemon zest from ½ large lemon - optional
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- 1 tbsp, lightly packed, minced fresh dill (from several sprigs)
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced (~½ tsp)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions - I cooked the cavatappi for 8 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the kale: rinse and dry it well, remove the tough stems, and chop into small pieces. Add it to a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and massage it until it softens (see Kale Tips).
- Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and add to the bowl. Add the cooled pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the tzatziki ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Pour tzatziki over the pasta mix and use a large spoon or spatula to mix it well. Garnish with lemon slices and more thyme or other fresh herbs.
- The salad will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
**I used non-fat yogurt but use low- or full-fat for a slightly richer sauce. Feel free to add more veggies - chopped bell pepper or minced red onion would be great additions. You can use other greens instead of kale but I would wait to add them until just before serving, and note that they won’t hold up as well in leftovers. To make the tzatziki as a dip: skip the olive oil, reduce the lemon juice to 2 tbsp, and add the chopped cucumber straight into the yogurt mix.
Please leave a comment and rating below if you try it!
Maryanne
Loved this ! Great summer meal! The olives added depth.
Siobhan
So glad you liked it! And thanks for the tip – definitely going to try it with olives next time!
Michele
I loved it. Used regular pasta (didn’t have access to Banza). And added chopped Kalamata olives to increase the “Greekness”. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Siobhan
Ooh great call with the olives! Thanks for trying it!