Crispy Pasta Salad

A person serves a colorful chickpea salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, and herbs from a bowl using wooden salad tongs.

This Greek-inspired crispy pasta salad combines golden air fried gnocchetti sardi with chickpeas, feta, salami, olives, artichokes and fresh vegetables in a tangy Greek yogurt-pepperoncini dressing. Serve it right away for the best crunch.

Course Salad

Cuisine Greek-Inspired

Keyword Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings -6 as a side salad

Calories 455kcal

Author Maria Koutsogiannis

Ingredients

For the pasta

225 g (8oz / ½ lb) gnocchetti sardi pasta (or orecchiette pasta)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp Spiceology Greek Freak seasoning

For the dressing

2 tbsp pepperoncini brine
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp Spiceology Greek Freak seasoning
Kosher salt to taste
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

For the salad

¾ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
⅓ cup sundried tomatoes, drained from their oil and chopped
⅓ cup diced red onions
¾ cup pepperoncini, stems removed and chopped into rounds (about 12 pepperoncini)
⅓ cup fresh chopped parsley
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
400 ml (14-15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
⅔ cup cubed or sliced genoa salami about 125 grams
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ English cucumber, sliced lengthwise and chopped
½ cup chopped pitted green and/or kalamata olives

Instructions

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions and then drain well.
Air fry the pasta: After the pasta is well-drained, add the pasta to a mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons Greek Freak seasoning. Add the seasoned pasta to the air fryer and air fry at 390F for 10-15 minutes, tossing every few minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside on a baking sheet in a single layer to ensure pasta stays crispy.
Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well-combined. Taste and add kosher salt as needed to your tastes.
Assemble the salad: To the large bowl with the dressing add the chopped artichoke hearts, diced sundried tomatoes, diced red onions, chopped pepperoncini, chopped fresh parsley, crumbled feta cheese, drained and rinsed chickpeas, cubed or sliced genoa salami, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and chopped olives. Add the crispy air fryer pasta and then toss everything together to combine with the dressing in the bowl.

Notes

This pasta salad is best enjoyed right away for maximum crunch on the air fryer pasta.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can try to bake the pasta instead (after boiling). Bake the seasoned pasta at 425F on a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out in a single layer.
This is a great salad to accompany grilled protein like our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

Nutrition