Mediterranean Farfalle Pasta Salad

Light and oh-so-flavorful, this mediterranean farfalle pasta salad is perfect for summer potlucks and picnics! Packed with veggies, herbs and a lemon mustard dressing, it’s delicious served warm or cold. Dairy free and vegan.

Two bowls filled with Mediterranean Farfalle Pasta Salad.

Summertime = pasta salad time! And it’s totally already quite hot by where I live.

Cue all my complaining about the heat.

But. Warm weather also equals fun potlucks and barbecues and this farfalle pasta salad should absolutely be on your list of ideas for dishes to bring to such occasions.

But here’s the thing about this dish. It’s super versatile.

I originally made it just as a lighter pasta for dinner – i.e. served while still piping hot. Yum.

But then, then I ate the leftovers cold the next day because I was feeling lazy and didn’t want to take the time to heat them back up.

And realized it’s just as awesome that way too. Very picnic-style, if you will.

Dry pasta in a glass bowl with fresh veggies scattered around.

Ingredients In This Farfalle Pasta Salad

So now that we have that covered, let’s chat about what’s actually in the pasta.

I go with whole wheat farfalle here because it’s my absolute favorite, but really you can use any shape that you want. Ziti, shells, I think they would all be fun too.

And then there’s the “stuff” that goes along with the pasta. And I packed it with lots of goodies.

We have a ton of veggies, like red onion, zucchini, mushrooms and fresh spinach.

There’s some sundried tomatoes for a bit of that sort of tangy chewiness.

We have chickpeas for some protein, walnuts for some crunch, fresh herbs for, well, freshness! 

To tie it all together, we’ll toss it in a lemon mustard dressing, which adds so much flavor and gives it a bit of moisture. And also reinforces that mediterranean flair.

Two bowls filled with Farfalle Pasta Salad.

Additional Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Recipe for mediterranean farfalle pasta salad. A light and flavorful dish that is delicious served hot or cold! Filled with veggies, herbs and a lemon mustard dressing.

Mediterranean Farfalle Pasta Salad

Yield: about 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Light and oh-so-flavorful, this mediterranean farfalle pasta salad is perfect for summer potlucks and picnics! Packed with veggies, herbs and a lemon mustard dressing, it’s delicious served warm or cold. Dairy free and vegan.

Ingredients

For the pasta:

  • 12 ounces whole wheat farfalle pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1 (8 ounce) package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup raw walnuts, chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled feta (optional)*
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • pinch of pepper

Instructions

To make the pasta:

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. When hot, add in the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Add in the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until tender and the mushrooms have released their juices. Add in the salt and spinach. Cook just until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add in the cooked pasta, sundried tomatoes, chickpeas, walnuts, feta (if using), parsley and basil. Toss until well combined and set aside.

To make the dressing:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon, maple syrup, salt and pepper vigorously until combined.
  2. Pour into the bowl with the pasta and toss until well combined. Serve the pasta right away while still hot or transfer to the refrigerator to chill (your preference!).

Notes

*To keep this dairy free / vegan - leave off the feta cheese (or you can even substitute with pitted sliced olives to taste).

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 472mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 11g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.