Best Pasta Salad with Kidney Beans

If you ask me, pasta salad is one of those dishes that never gets old.

This hearty bean-packed salad makes a filling lunch or dinner that’s loaded with protein and fresh flavors. Tender rotini mingles with chickpeas and kidney beans, while olives and spinach add some savory notes.

It’s dressed with a tangy mix of lemon juice and balsamic vinegar, brightened up with nutritional yeast that gives it a nutty, cheesy flavor without any dairy. Fresh parsley and a pinch of red pepper flakes help the whole thing come together.

It’s an easy weeknight meal that comes together in about 30 minutes, perfect for those busy evenings when you need something satisfying.

What Kind of Kidney Beans Should I Use?

For this pasta salad, canned kidney beans are your easiest option and work perfectly well – just make sure to drain and rinse them thoroughly to remove excess sodium and that slightly metallic canned taste. If you have the time and want to go the extra mile, you can cook dried kidney beans from scratch, which will give you a firmer texture and better flavor. Dark red kidney beans are the most common choice and hold their shape nicely in pasta salads, but light red kidney beans work just as well and have a slightly milder taste. Whichever type you choose, make sure your beans are fully cooked since undercooked kidney beans can cause stomach upset.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is super forgiving and works well with a bunch of different swaps:

• Pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – rotini, penne, bow ties, or shells all hold the dressing well. You can also use whole wheat or chickpea pasta if you prefer.
• Chickpeas and kidney beans: Feel free to mix things up with black beans, cannellini beans, or even edamame. You can also use just one type of bean instead of two – just increase the amount to 3 cups total.
• Nutritional yeast: If you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can leave it out and add a bit more salt to taste, or substitute with 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese if you’re not keeping it vegan.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work as good alternatives. You might want to add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
• Spinach: Arugula, chopped romaine, or kale all work well. If using kale, massage it with a bit of olive oil first to soften the leaves.
• Olives: Use whatever olives you like – kalamata, green, or black. Not a fan? Sun-dried tomatoes or capers make a nice substitute for that briny flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still hot, which causes the noodles to absorb too much liquid and leaves you with a dry salad later – always let your pasta cool completely first, or even better, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Undercooking your pasta is another common error since pasta salad tastes best when the noodles are cooked just past al dente, as they’ll firm up slightly when chilled.

Don’t forget to season your pasta water generously with salt (it should taste like the ocean), because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself from the inside out.

Finally, make your pasta salad at least an hour before serving and give it a taste right before eating – you’ll almost always need to add more lemon juice, salt, or olive oil since the pasta and beans soak up the dressing as it sits.

What to Serve With Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty hearty on its own with all those beans and veggies, so it works great as a main dish for lunch or a light dinner. If you want to round out the meal, grilled chicken or some baked salmon on the side adds extra protein without making things too heavy. For a cookout or potluck vibe, pair it with some garlic bread or focaccia, and maybe a simple cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and herbs. Since this salad has a tangy, Mediterranean feel from the balsamic and lemon, it also goes nicely with grilled vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or eggplant.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You might need to give it a quick stir and add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice before serving since the pasta tends to absorb the dressing over time.

Make Ahead: This is a great recipe to prep the night before a potluck or picnic. The spinach might wilt a bit, but that’s totally normal. If you want to keep things extra fresh, you can store the spinach separately and toss it in right before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1250
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 32-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 175-200 g

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 2.5 cups pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)

For the salad mixture:

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cups kidney beans (I use S&W beans as they hold their shape well)
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 1/2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1/3 cup celery

For the dressing and seasonings:

• 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brighter acidity)
• 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (adds a savory, nutty depth to the dressing)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Cook the Pasta

• 2.5 cups pasta
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/3 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

While you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, dice the onion and celery into small, uniform pieces and chop the fresh parsley.

Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until tender but still with a slight bite.

I always use Barilla rotini because it holds up beautifully in a cold salad without getting mushy.

While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the remaining ingredients, making the entire process seamless.

Step 2: Prepare the Beans and Vegetables

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cups kidney beans
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 1/2 cups spinach

Drain and rinse both the chickpeas and kidney beans thoroughly under cold water to remove excess sodium and starch.

I use S&W beans because they hold their shape remarkably well and don’t fall apart in the dressing.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained beans, spinach, and olives.

Step 3: Build the Dressing and Flavor Base

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper

In the same bowl with the beans and vegetables, add the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

Whisk everything together until well combined.

The nutritional yeast adds a savory, nutty depth to the dressing that makes this salad special—don’t skip it.

Let this mixture sit for a minute to allow the flavors to begin melding together.

Step 4: Drain Pasta and Combine Everything

• cooked pasta from Step 1
• diced onion and celery from Step 1

Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch.

This prevents the pasta from clumping and ensures it won’t absorb all the dressing.

Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the bean mixture and diced onion and celery from Step 1.

Step 5: Toss and Finish

• combined ingredients from Steps 2, 3, and 4
• fresh parsley from Step 1

Toss all ingredients together until the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing and all components are well distributed.

Add the chopped fresh parsley from Step 1 and gently fold it in.

Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed—pasta salads often benefit from a little extra acidity.

Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Best Pasta Salad with Kidney Beans

Delicious Best Pasta Salad with Kidney Beans recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 32 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1175 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta::

• 2.5 cups pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)

For the salad mixture::

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cups kidney beans (I use S&W beans as they hold their shape well)
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 1/2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1/3 cup celery

For the dressing and seasonings::

• 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brighter acidity)
• 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (adds a savory, nutty depth to the dressing)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

 

• While you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, dice the onion and celery into small, uniform pieces and chop the fresh parsley. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until tender but still with a slight bite. I always use Barilla rotini because it holds up beautifully in a cold salad without getting mushy. While the pasta cooks, you can prepare the remaining ingredients, making the entire process seamless.
• Drain and rinse both the chickpeas and kidney beans thoroughly under cold water to remove excess sodium and starch. I use S&W beans because they hold their shape remarkably well and don't fall apart in the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained beans, spinach, and olives.
• In the same bowl with the beans and vegetables, add the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together until well combined. The nutritional yeast adds a savory, nutty depth to the dressing that makes this salad special—don't skip it. Let this mixture sit for a minute to allow the flavors to begin melding together.
• Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. This prevents the pasta from clumping and ensures it won't absorb all the dressing. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the bean mixture and diced onion and celery from Step 1.
• Toss all ingredients together until the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing and all components are well distributed. Add the chopped fresh parsley from Step 1 and gently fold it in. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed—pasta salads often benefit from a little extra acidity. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve.