High Protein Pasta Salad | 35 Grams Protein
- Autumn Bates, CCN, MS, BS, CPT
- May 28
- 6 min read
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This high protein pasta salad is simple, delicious and super satisfying. It's tossed with a creamy homemade pesto dressing and loaded with crunchy veggies and protein-packed chicken. Best part? If you're serving it to your friends and family, no one will even guess it's healthy!
When I think "pasta salad", the words "protein-rich" are definitely not the first to pop into my mind. Traditional pasta salad is made with blood sugar spiking wheat pasta and is usually very, very low in quality protein. That combination makes it extremely unhelpful for a fat loss goal.
Not to mention traditional pasta salad recipes use inflammatory oils and highly processed ingredients that can wreak havoc on the gut and promote inflammation in the body.
If you're on a weight loss or wellness journey, this doesn't mean you have to ditch the idea of pasta salad all together. We just need to give it a bit of makeover.
And honestly, my healthy high protein pasta salad knocks it out of the park. (Not to toot my own horn, or anything 😉)
Every ingredient in this recipe was specifically designed with the foodie at heart who also has a fat loss and wellness goal in mind: from the fiber loaded artichoke hearts to the high protein pasta that actually tastes good, this recipe has it all.
It doesn't hurt that your friends and family will be asking you for the recipe when you serve it to them, too!
What's In This Post
Recipe Highlights
High protein: This recipe comes in at 35 grams of protein per serving!
High fiber: With the addition of artichokes and using red lentil pasta instead of wheat, we're able to sneak in about 7 grams of fiber per serving.
Lower carb: The net carbs of this meal is only 36 grams. But even more impressive, the overall glycemic load is lower than traditional pasta salad, making this a much better option for a fat loss or wellness goal.
Great for a fat loss goal: The higher protein and lower glycemic load of this recipe helps to reduce hunger while also raising satiety hormones like peptide YY and GLP-1. This combo makes fat loss much easier.
Key Ingredients
Red Lentil Pasta
Studies have found that legume pastas, like red lentil pasta, help to keep you feeling fuller longer than traditional wheat pasta. These pastas are higher in protein and fiber while also being lower in carbs, which can be crucial for achieving a fat loss goal.
Out of all the legume-based pastas, I've found red lentil pasta to be the best. Chickpea pasta has an off flavor and often leaves me feeling bloated and a little sick. Red lentil pasta can be a bit tricky to find, but most health food stores or online stores should have at least one brand available.
Fresh Mozzarella
Mozzarella helps to bring the overall protein content of this meal up, while also tasting delicious! I always opt for full-fat dairy products (including cheese) because full-fat dairy has been found to be inversely associated with obesity. This means those who eat full-fat dairy are less likely to be obese than those who don't.
Full-fat dairy is also much higher in vitamin K2 than low fat dairy which is crucial for both bone and heart health. I used small fresh mozzarella balls so that I didn't have to chop them. But you can also use a large mozzarella ball that you shred if you can't find the smaller ones.
Chicken
The majority of the protein in this recipe will be coming from the chicken. When I'm feeling extra lazy, I go to the salad bar at my local health food store and load up on the pre-cooked and pre-chopped chicken to simplify my meal prep. You can also use homemade poached chicken or opt for rotisserie chicken.
Artichoke Hearts
My secret hack for adding a lot of fiber! Artichokes are one of the most fiber dense foods you can eat. Just one artichoke has about 12 grams of fiber. That's nearly half of your daily fiber needs!
Ingredient Swaps
Red lentil pasta: You can also use chickpea pasta or another legume-based pasta. I would not use a brown rice or wheat pasta for this recipe, as that would significantly change the health benefits and nutritional breakdown.
Chicken: Any cooked animal-based protein! Turkey and shrimp would both go well with this. Steak would be tasty, too! If plant-based, you can use cooked and crumbled tempeh, but you'll need to use about 20 ounces to hit the same protein amounts.
Greek yogurt: Skyr is a very even swap. If plant-based, you can use an unsweetened plant-based greek style yogurt, like Kite Hill.
Mozzarella: If dairy-free, you can leave this out and increase the chicken to 14 ounces to make up for the lost protein.
Pine nuts: If nut-free, either remove these or replace with an equivalent amount of pumpkin seeds.
How To Make High Protein Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. I've found lentil and chickpea pastas tend to stick together after cooking, so make sure to break it up a bit by shaking the strainer every now and then until you add the sauce.
Make the sauce by simply pouring all the sauce ingredients into a jar and giving it a stir with a fork. I like to mix everything in a 2 cup sized measuring cup so that I can then easily pour it into the pasta salad once mixed.
Toast the pine nuts on the stove top. This only takes a few minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on it. You don't want to step away during this process because pine nuts can burn very quickly. Make sure to shake it frequently so that the pine nuts are evenly toasted.
Add all the ingredients and toss. I like to start with a little less of the sauce and then add more as needed, according to taste preference. You can always add more sauce, but you can't take it away once it's in there!
Storing And Reheating
Because this is a pasta salad, it's best eaten cold or room temperature. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days and eat it without having to heat it up. Just keep the arugula and pine nuts separate if you plan on eating it later in the week until you actually eat it so that the greens and pine nuts don't get soggy.
FAQ's
How can I add protein to pasta salad?
There are two main things to consider: adding protein in with foods like chicken, beef, shrimp, turkey, etc and swapping out regular wheat pasta for a higher protein lentil or chickpea pasta. Both of these help to raise the protein while also reducing the glycemic load.
Can you use high protein pasta salad for weight loss?
This type of pasta salad is a much better option while on a weight loss journey. Because it's high in protein and lower in refined carbs, it helps to boost satiety and prevent cravings. Plus, the additional protein can reduce the risk of your metabolism slowing down while losing weight, which makes maintaining weight loss a lot easier.
Other Recipes You May Love
Love this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
High Protein Pasta Salad
Serves 5
Ingredients:
8 ounce package red lentil rotini or bow tie pasta
1/3 cup pesto
1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
12 ounces cooked and cubed chicken
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry
2 cups arugula
Instructions:
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once done, drain and pour into a large serving bowl.
While the pasta cooks, combine the pesto, greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon and a pinch of salt in a small bowl or a measuring cup. Stir with a fork until all ingredients are mixed together. Taste and add more salt as needed.
In a small pan over medium heat, add the pine nuts. Stir them consistently for 3 minutes or until the pine nuts are lightly browned. Remove immediately from the pan and pour into a small bowl to prevent further cooking.
To the serving bowl with the pasta, add the chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and pesto sauce. Toss so that all ingredients are well coated with the sauce. If serving immediately, add the arugula and toasted pine nuts and toss once more to combine.
Notes:
If you plan on meal prepping this for the week don't add the arugula or pine nuts until you're ready to eat it. Otherwise the arugula will wilt and the pine nuts will lose its crunch.
Nutrition Information per serving:
43 grams carbs | 7 grams fiber | 35 grams protein | 23 grams fat | 515 calories
Studies Mentioned:
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