This Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Salad tastes like your favorite game day snack accidentally became a wholesome lunch. It's slightly spicy, creamy, crunchy, loaded with fresh vegetables, tossed with homemade ranch and packed with crispy buffalo chickpeas for that spicy buffalo flavor in every bite. This is a hearty summer pasta salad that manages to feel both fresh and ridiculously satisfying.
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Looking for more easy dinner and lunch recipes? We've got plenty! These grilled shrimp skewers are juicy, smoky, and perfect alongside a big scoop of this chickpea pasta salad. These pure beef burgers are simple, classic, and made for summer BBQ nights. These blackened chicken sandwiches are packed with bold flavor and this honey dijon salmon is sweet, tangy, and ridiculously good paired with fresh salads (like this!) and vegetables.
Why This Recipe Works
- The crispy buffalo chickpeas bring serious flavor, texture and make every bite spicy, savory and addictive.
- It is perfect for meal prep and holds up beautifully in the fridge.
- Easily customize this pasta salad by adding fresh guacamole, crumbled feta, shredded roast chicken, bacon, or any extra veggies that you have in the fridge!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Elbow Macaroni - Any tubular-shaped pasta can be used to make this pasta salad.
- Buffalo Chickpeas - For the ultimate crunch, use a batch of my crispy oven-roasted buffalo chickpeas.
- Ranch Dressing - Toss everything together with my 5-minute homemade buttermilk ranch dressing for a perfect creamy dressing.
A full list of ingredients with quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Customizations & Recipe Variations
- More Buffalo Flavor - Drizzle buffalo sauce over the top of the chickpea pasta salad for a bolder buffalo flavor.
- Extra Protein - To add more protein to this pasta salad, add some velveted chicken breast, baked garlic butter shrimp, or crispy tofu!
- Sauces & Dressings - For a lighter dressing, try my apple cider vinaigrette or roasted sesame dressing for some serious umami flavor.
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How To Make Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Salad
Step 1
Cook the pasta to al dente, then rinse it under cold water to cool completely and stop the cooking process.
Massage the kale with a little olive oil until softened and tender. This helps remove the bitterness and makes the kale much easier to eat.
Step 2
Add the pasta, vegetables, pumpkin seeds, and buffalo chickpeas to a large bowl and toss everything together.
Step 3
Drizzle over the homemade ranch dressing, toss again, and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to salt the pasta water when the pasta is cooking. This is your first layer of flavor.
- Cool the pasta properly. Warm pasta absorbs too much dressing and turns gummy. After the pasta has finished cooking, immediately run cold water over it until it is completely cold, then drain it well before adding it to the salad.
- Massage the kale with olive oil, this removes the bitterness of the kale and softens the texture.
- Add the dressing right before serving to keep the vegetables crisp.
How To Store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, store the dressing separately from the pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Prepare the pasta salad up to 2 days in advance, but save the dressing to add before serving.
They will soften slightly once mixed with the dressing, but roasting them beforehand helps them keep some of their crispy texture.
Short, tubular-shaped pastas like elbow, rotini, bowties, or shells work best because they hold onto dressing and ingredients easily.
Yes, although kale will hold up better for meal prep and stay crisp longer than spinach.
More Summer Salad Inspired Recipes
Looking for other delicious summer salads like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
The Best Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Salad
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound Elbow Macaroni Noodles
- 2 cups Kale chopped
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Cucumber diced
- 1 cup Carrots shredded
- 1 cup Yellow Bell Pepper diced
- ½ medium Red Onion diced
- 1 cup Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Ranch Dressing to taste
Buffalo Chickpeas
- 2 (19 oz) cans Chickpeas drained, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
Make The Buffalo Chickpeas
- Toss the chickpeas with hot sauce, avocado oil, and Cajun seasoning, then spread them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast at 425°F for 35-40 minutes until golden and crispy. Cool completely to allow them to crisp up even more.👉 See the full roasted buffalo chickpeas recipe
Assemble The Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completley cooled to stop the cooking process and prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
- Add the chopped kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Massage the kale with your hands for 1-2 minutes until softened and tender.
- Add the cooled pasta, vegetables, pumpkin seeds, and buffalo chickpeas to the bowl with the kale. Toss everything together until evenly combined.
- Pour your desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss again until fully coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Notes
- Pasta Noodles: Any tubular-shaped pasta can be used for this pasta salad recipe.
- Extra Protein: Add some shredded roast chicken, garlic butter shrimp or crispy tofu!
- Ranch Dressing: Any kind or flavor of dressing can be used in this recipe, but I highly recommend my homemade ranch dressing!
- Be sure to salt the pasta water and completely cool the pasta right after cooking.
- Massaging the kale with olive oil helps remove bitterness and softens the texture.
- Store leftovers without dressing in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
We love making this pasta salad for meal prep throughout the week!