Food & Cooking Recipes Salad Recipes Pasta Salad With Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil 5.0 (4) This crowd-pleaser is sure to be your go-to side for summer potlucks and cookouts. Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 6 to 8 Jump to recipe Our pasta salad with chickpeas and green beans is a fresh take on this favorite cookout and picnic side. It's a substantial dish made with bowtie noodles, red onion, basil, and a light mayo-based dressing. The dressing is the key to the success of this salad. It’s not too heavy with mayo because we add lemon juice and red wine vinegar for brightness and garlic for punchy flavor. The red onion brings a touch of lively color and a pungent bite—we’ve included instructions for soaking the onion if you want to soften its flavor. Basil rounds out the flavor package, complementing both the chickpeas and the string beans. It's a recipe you'll be making on repeat all summer. 32 Cookout Sides for Your Next Summer Gathering Credit: Ren Fuller Be sure to boil the noodles for the longest cooking time listed on the package because they won't continue to cook in a sauce as they would in warm dishes. Directions Make sauce: Using the side of a chef's knife, mash garlic with 1 teaspoon salt into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; whisk in lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, and mayonnaise. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook pasta, drain, and cool: Cook pasta in generously salted water according to package directions until cooked all the way through. Drain (but don't rinse, which would waterlog the noodles), then spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Toss green beans, onions, capers, brine, and chickpeas: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss green beans, onions, capers and brine, and chickpeas with vinaigrette. Add pasta; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate: Refrigerate up to a day ahead; let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss with Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil; serve. Never serve pasta salad straight from the fridge. It is too firm and less flavorful. Other Pasta Salad Recipes to Try Pasta Salad With Peas and Summer Beans Three-Bean Pasta Salad Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad Tuna Macaroni Salad Spaghetti Salad