I LOVE a pasta salad, and it’s one of the best things you can make for meal prep. It’s easy, it holds up great in the fridge, it’s filling, and it can have really solid macros too. This High-Protein Mediterranean Pasta Salad proves that.
A classic Mediterranean pasta salad is one of the most timeless pasta salads out there. Pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, and a simple vinaigrette. This version takes it up a notch in the protein department with high-protein pasta, chickpeas, and feta for 42 grams of protein per serving.
So if you thought meal prepping a healthy high-protein lunch was going to take you hours on a Sunday, this one proves you wrong. You’ve got your lunches covered all week in 25 minutes with very minimal fuss.
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Why You’ll Love This High-Protein Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- All the Mediterranean flavors you love, with a protein upgrade. If you’re a Mediterranean pasta salad girl, you’re gonna love this version. It’s the classic flavor combo you already know, just with a few high-protein upgrades built in.
- 42 grams of protein per serving. No meat, no eggs. It all comes from the high-protein pasta, chickpeas, and feta, which is kind of wild for a pasta salad.
- Meal prep friendly. This holds up really well in the fridge, will be something you actually look forward to at lunch, and will keep you full through dinner.
- 25 minutes, start to finish. Boil the pasta, chop some veggies, whisk a vinaigrette. Done.
If you love pasta salads, I’ve rounded up 7 of The Best High-Protein Pasta Salads that are perfect for meal prep.
Key Ingredients
Everything you love about a Mediterranean pasta salad, taken up a notch for flavor and protein.
- High-protein pasta. Use what you love: Kaizen, Banza, and Barilla Protein+ all work with varying levels of protein. If you’re not into high-protein pasta, whole wheat works too and still has a solid amount of protein.
- Chickpeas. I’m honestly kind of surprised these aren’t a typical addition to a Mediterranean pasta salad. They add a bunch of protein, fiber, and a really great texture.
- Feta. Buy the good kind. Extra briny, extra salty, and it will make all the difference in this pasta salad.
- Kalamata olives. Briny, salty, and Mediterranean in their essence. They’re the pop of flavor this pasta salad needs.
- Cucumber and tomatoes. These add the freshness this pasta salad deserves and a healthy dose of veggies so you can feel good about pasta for lunch every day.
- Red onion. Just a little bit for that punchy oniony bite, but not so much that you’re left tasting it for hours after lunch.
- Fresh oregano. I’m partial, but fresh herbs make all the difference. A little chopped fresh oregano takes this to a whole other place. You’re gonna have to trust me on this one.
- Greek dressing. A classic red wine and olive oil vinaigrette with a good punch of grated raw garlic.
How To Make It
One of the things I love most about a pasta salad is how easy it is to make and how well it works in a large batch, both things I look for in a good meal prep recipe.
Cook the pasta
Cook your high-protein pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let it cool completely.
Make the dressing
While the pasta cooks, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
Combine
Toss the cooled pasta with the chickpeas, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, crumbled feta, and fresh oregano. Pour the dressing over everything and toss to combine.
Serve
Portion into single serving containers or bowls and enjoy all week long.
Want more pasta salads? My Kale Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is so DAMN good and another great meal prep option.
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Variations
Victoria’s Tips
Storage & Meal Prep
This pasta salad is a meal prep dream. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and honestly gets better as it sits, the flavors just keep coming together.
If it seems a little dry after a day or two, toss it with an extra splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar before serving.
Store it in individual containers so lunch is ready to grab all week.
Also obsessed with my High-Protein Tuna Pasta Salad if you want to keep the pasta salad rotation going. It has over 50 grams of protein per serving.
FAQ
High-protein pasta does a lot of the work, supported by the chickpeas and feta.
100%. Whole wheat is the best swap if you want to keep the protein count up. Regular white pasta works too, but the protein per serving will drop. The high-protein pasta is doing a lot of work in this recipe, so if macros matter to you, it’s worth using.
Yes, and it’s actually better if you do. Give it a few hours in the fridge and the dressing really soaks into everything. Make it Sunday and it’s ready to grab all week.
Up to 4 days in an airtight container. If it seems a little dry after day two, toss it with an extra splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar before serving.
Totally! Grilled chicken is the obvious one and works really well here. It’ll bump the protein up even higher if that’s what you’re going for. You can also add diced salami.
High-Protein Mediterranean Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook 16 oz high-protein pasta according to package directions (minus 1-2 minutes so it doesn't get too mushy). Drain, rinse under cold water, and let it cool completely.
- While the pasta cooks, whisk together 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup red wine vinegar, 3 cloves garlic (grated), 3 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp fresh or dried oregano, and 1 tsp salt.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, 2 cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1 English cucumber (diced), 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, ½ cup kalamata olives, ½ cup red onion, ½ cup fresh oregano (chopped), and ¾ cup crumbled feta. Pour the dressing over everything and toss to combine.
- Serve right away or refrigerate. This one gets better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors come together.
Nutrition
Notes
- Pasta: Kaizen, Banza or Barilla Protein+ all work well here. Regular whole wheat pasta works too, but the protein count will be slightly lower.
- Make ahead: This gets better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors come together. Great for meal prep, it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Dressing: If it seems dry after sitting in the fridge, toss with an extra splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar before serving.
Get Your FREE 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? I'll send you a full week of meals with the shopping list.
You'll also get my new meal plan every Saturday. Unsubscribe anytime.
More Recipes To Try
- The 13 Best High-Protein Salad Recipes to Keep You Full
- 7 High-Protein Low-Calorie Lunch Ideas (30g+ Protein)
- 40 Healthy Lunch Meal Prep Ideas (That Keep All Week)
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Unbelievably high protein for being vegetarian. One of the best easy meal prep ideas.