Potato Pasta Salad with Chickpeas Recipe

Baby potato and pasta salad with chopped celery, red onion, dill, chickpeas, and creamy tahini and mustard dressing in a white bowl.

5 from 2 votes

Potato Pasta Salad with Chickpeas Recipe

Easy Potato Pasta Salad with Chickpeas is ideal for potlucks, BBQs, and picnics. Served with oil-free creamy tahini mustard dressing. Vegan & kid-friendly.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan

Servings: people

Calories: 502kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds baby potatoes or red, fingerling, or new potatoes
½ cup dried orzo
Drizzle plus 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed (1 ½ cups)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt to taste

For the tahini mustard dressing:

4 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard (whole grain)
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
1 small lemon juice, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup diced celery (about 4 ribs)
¾ cup diced red onion (about 1 small)
⅓ cup chopped fresh dill

Instructions

Cook the potatoes: Steam the potatoes for about 25 minutes^•, or until just fork tender. Set aside to cool. Cut into halves.
Cook the orzo: Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to the directions on the packet until al dente. Drain and fluff with a fork. (Optional: Add a drizzle of olive oil and mix until evenly coated.) Set aside to cool.
Cook the chickpeas: Transfer the chickpeas to a medium bowl. Add the garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Toss until the chickpeas are coated evenly with the seasoning.
Method 1: Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Cook the chickpeas for about 7 minutes, or until golden brown.
Method 2 (oil-free): Roast the chickpeas at 400ºF for 15 minutes. Broil for about 2 minutes more, or until crispy.
Make the dressing: Add the tahini, mustard, maple syrup (if using), lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons water to a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine: Add the potatoes, orzo, chickpeas, celery, red onion, and dill to a large bowl. Mix in the dressing until it is fully incorporated.

Video

Notes

To boil the potatoes instead of steam: Place them in cold water to cover by about 2 inches high. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until just for tender.
Serve the salad warm or chilled.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To make ahead of time: For a more crunchy salad, wait until the orzo and potatoes reach room temperature before combining the ingredients. It is best to add the dill and dressing right before serving, but you can also mix all the ingredients together beforehand and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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