High Protein Pasta Salad with Roasted Chickpeas, Zucchini and Peppers
This high protein pasta salad is colorful, hearty, fresh, and so refreshing. Made with protein pasta, crispy roasted chickpeas, roasted zucchini, sweet peppers, fresh basil, and a warm garlic lemon dressing, it is the kind of pasta salad that works just as well for lunch as it does for a summer dinner.
Ingredients
- 8 oz protein pasta
- 1 can chickpea
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 sweet peppers, thick slices
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon oil
- handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
For warm dressing
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped lemon peels
- 2 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 3 banana peppers
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For Salmon
- 3 Salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoon chili oil
- juice of one lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
For the roasted veggie and chickpea
- Dice the zucchini into bite size pieces. Layer it on a colander and sprinkle little oil. Massage it around and leave it aside for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, pat the zucchini dry with paper towel and scatter it on a abaking sheet. To the same baking sheet, add the drained chickpea and sliced sweet peppers.
- Sprinkle with salt, smoked paprika and roast for 20 minutes, stirring once in between.
Preparing the salmon
- In a plate add the lemon juice, oil, salt and grated garlic. Mix it aorund and layer the salmon fillets and brush the marinate all around.
- Leave it aside and cook the salmon right at the end after the pasta is ready.
- To cook the salmon, heat a heavy bottom skillet and brush little oil on it. Then layer the salmon fillets and cook for 3 minutes each side.
Preparing the Pasta salad
- Bring enough water to boil to cook the pasta. Once the water is boiled, add salt and cook the pasta as per the instruction in the packet. Keep in mind that protein pasta can get mushy very quickly, so make sure to cook for the time that is mention in the packet.
- Once the pasta is done, strain and add it to a big mixing bowl.
- The vegetables and chickpea must be roasted by now, so add that to the bowl.
- Now, prepare the warm dressing by heating a heavy bottom small pan.
- Pour oil, followed by sliced garlic, chopped lemon peel, sliced banana peppers and cherry tomatoes. Let it sizzle for 5 minutes.
- Pour the dressing the to the pasta and toss everything using a large spoon.
- Finally add the basil leaves and mix one more time.
Serve the Protein Pasta
- Your pasta salad is ready. Taste for salt and add more if needed. The salmon should be cooked right at the end after the pasta salad is ready.
- Serve pasta salad with salmon. Add some grated parmesan cheese if you have and enjoy it warm.