Spinach, Feta and Bean Pasta Salad

This simple bean pasta salad is the ultimate healthy side dish for all your summer BBQs and gatherings! Combining white beans, fresh spinach, tangy feta cheese, and zesty lemon dressing, this bean pasta salad recipe is light, flavorful, and the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, fish, or as a standalone vegetarian meal.

What Makes This Bean Pasta Salad Healthy

This bean pasta salad is naturally vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by omitting the feta cheese. The white beans provide plant-based protein and fiber, while the spinach adds iron and vitamins. Using whole wheat pasta boosts the nutritional value even more, making this white bean pasta salad a smart choice for health-conscious eaters.

The best part? This cold bean pasta salad tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together in the refrigerator. It's also incredibly versatile. You can add grilled chicken to leftover bean pasta salad for a complete lunch the following day.

Ingredient Tips for the Best Bean Pasta Salad

Choosing the Right Beans for Bean Pasta Salad

Navy beans or cannellini beans work perfectly in this pasta white bean salad. Both varieties are mild, creamy, and hold their shape well when tossed with pasta. Make sure to rinse and drain your canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and prevent the bean pasta salad from becoming too salty.

Selecting Quality Feta Cheese

Not all feta cheese is created equal, and this makes a big difference in your bean pasta salad. Invest in high-quality feta cheese that's stored in brine. This type of feta is salty, creamy, and doesn't have the dry, crumbly texture of cheaper varieties. Look for feta that comes pre-cubed in brine for the best results in your bean pasta salad. While you can use reduced-fat feta, full-fat feta provides superior flavor and creaminess.

Pasta Selection

Medium shell pasta works beautifully in this bean pasta salad because the shells catch the dressing and hold the beans inside. Whole wheat pasta adds fiber and nutrients, but you can use regular pasta if you prefer. Cook the pasta to al dente, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for your beans in pasta salad.

How to Make Bean Pasta Salad

Making this bean pasta salad is incredibly simple and comes together in about 10 minutes of prep time. The key to a flavorful bean pasta salad is making the dressing first, then tossing all the ingredients together so every bite is coated in that zesty lemon vinaigrette.

Step 1: Make the Lemon Dressing

In a large bowl, whisk together fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, and optional sugar. The sugar helps balance the acidity of the lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This bright dressing is what makes this bean pasta salad so refreshing.

Step 2: Combine Ingredients

Add the baby spinach, white beans, finely diced red onion, sliced black olives, halved grape tomatoes, and cooled pasta directly to the dressing bowl. Toss everything together until the bean pasta salad is well coated.

Step 3: Add Feta and Chill

Gently fold in the feta cheese cubes. Taste your bean pasta salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop. If the bean pasta salad seems dry after refrigeration, drizzle in a bit more olive oil.

Serving Suggestions for Bean Pasta Salad

This bean pasta salad pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, burgers, hot dogs, and barbecue chicken. It's also substantial enough to serve as a main course for a light lunch or dinner. The bean pasta salad works great for:

• Summer cookouts and BBQs
• Potluck dinners
• Picnics (it travels well)
• Meal prep for the week
• Pool parties
• Family reunions
• Outdoor concerts and events

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

This bean pasta salad is an excellent make-ahead dish. In fact, the flavors improve after sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours. Store your bean pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving leftovers, give the bean pasta salad a good stir and add a drizzle of olive oil if needed, as the pasta tends to absorb the dressing over time.

Variations on This Bean Pasta Salad

While this bean pasta salad is delicious as written, here are some variations to try:

• Add protein: Toss in grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas for extra protein
• Try different beans: Substitute garbanzo beans or black beans for a different flavor profile
• Add more vegetables: Cucumbers, bell peppers, or artichoke hearts work great in this bean pasta salad
• Change the cheese: Try goat cheese or fresh mozzarella instead of feta
• Make it vegan: Simply omit the feta cheese or use vegan feta
• Add fresh herbs: Basil, parsley, or dill complement this bean pasta salad nicely

bean pasta salad, pasta salad with beans, white bean pasta salad, cold bean pasta salad

side dish, salad, pasta salad

American

Yield: 6

Author: Renee Paj

Spinach, Feta and Bean Pasta Salad

Prep time: 10 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Healthy white bean pasta salad recipe with fresh baby spinach, creamy feta cheese, and a bright lemon dressing.

Ingredients

For the dressing

• juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
• 1 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad

• 5 oz. organic baby spinach
• 1- 15 oz can of Navy or Cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 - 12oz. to 16 oz. box medium sized shell pasta, white whole wheat variety, cooked to al dente, rinsed in cold water and drained
• 4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese (I used cubed)

Instructions

1. In large bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, oregano, Dijon, thyme, and granulated sugar (if using) with a whisk and whisk until combined. Taste for salt and pepper, and add as you like.
2. To the dressing, add spinach, beans, red onion, black olives, grape tomatoes, and cooked pasta. Toss well in dressing.
3. Add in the feta, and toss gently. Taste again and adjust salt and pepper as you like. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Can add more olive oil if salad seems dry after refrigeration.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

340

Fat (grams)

16 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

4 g

Carbs (grams)

40 g

Fiber (grams)

3 g

Net carbs

37 g

Sugar (grams)

3 g

Protein (grams)

10 g

Sodium (milligrams)

474 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

17 mg

Nutritional Information provided is an estimate.

https://www.reneeskitchenadventures.com/2015/06/spinach-feta-and-bean-pasta-salad.html

Copyright © 2011 Renee's Kitchen Adventures

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Adapted from BHG.com 

Renee's Notes:  This is a great salad choice!  It's got bold flavor without being too pushy.  I'd like to shout out the brand of feta I used, but I can't remember what it was called.  It came in a blue container and it was stored in a brine.  Inside was a little blue basket that drained the brine off the oh-so-creamy feta cubes. It was excellent and really made this salad great!  This is going to be one of my "go to" dishes when I need to bring a dish along for summer get togethers this year.  We all enjoyed it!

You might also like these summer salad recipes! 

Broccoli and Grape Pasta Salad 

Mom's Potato Salad 

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