This high protein pasta salad with red wine vinaigrette is packed with flavor and texture and perfect for your weekly meal prep!

What do you get when you combine two of my husband’s favorite foods, orzo and edamame? This high-protein pasta salad packed with veggies, chicken, and a zesty vinaigrette—and it’s delicious!

I prep veggies and protein every week, so everything in this salad was ready to go except for the pasta. You can have everything else ready to mix in the time it takes to cook. Food prep is a GREAT way to save time throughout the week.

One of the easiest ways to add a boatload of protein to any pasta salad recipe is to start with protein-packed pasta. We love the Banza protein rice, which resembles orzo once cooked. I think they should just call it orzo because, as you can see, it looks just like it. An 8-ounce bag has a whopping 49 grams! The chicken adds 72 grams, and the edamame adds 16 grams for a total of 137 grams of protein for this dish. If you divide that by four servings, that’s 34 grams of protein per serving. Of course, you could increase that by adding additional chicken.

This is one of my favorite recipes for meal prep. I use these containers and send the salad to work with my husband for lunch. He LOVES it, and so do his coworkers!

High Protein Pasta Salad

Why We Love It

It’s quick. From start to finish, it takes about 20 minutes.
Packed with protein. The pasta, chicken, and edamame add loads of protein!
Meal prep. This keeps well for days, making it perfect for your weekly meal prep.
Nutritious. It’s packed with healthy fats, fiber, micronutrients, and protein. It’s feel-good food.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Similar to my tuna pasta salad, I chose ingredients high in protein with lots of veggies for added texture and nutrition.

Edamame. I used frozen and shelled edamame.
Orzo. To pump up the protein, I use Banza chickpea pasta.
Chicken. My broiled chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe!
Bell peppers. Both red and yellow for sweetness and crunch.
Sun-dried tomatoes. Give the salad a delicious sweet-tart flavor and some chewiness.
Scallions. Add a pop of freshness and crunch with a mild onion flavor.
Fresh basil. Fresh herbs brighten up the salad and add depth of flavor.
Red wine vinaigrette. A zesty dressing brings the salad together.

Any cooked chicken will work. This recipe is perfect for using my broiled chicken thighs or a rotisserie chicken.

To prep the edamame, I let it soak for a few minutes in hot water from my kettle. Hot tap water works fine too, but you may need to refresh the water a few times to thaw it completely.

Used In This Recipe
Protein Rice Pasta	Glass Mixing Bowl + Lid	Veggie Chopper

How to Make High Protein Pasta Salad

The beauty of this salad is that you can have everything ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook!

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. (see note below)
Mix the dressing in the bottom of a big bowl.
Prep the veggies and dice the chicken if you haven’t already.
When the pasta is done, rinse with cold water and drain well.
Add the pasta, chicken, veggies, and basil to the bowl with the dressing.
Toss everything until well coated, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper.

Helpful Tips

We’re big fans of multitasking around here. It makes life easier in the kitchen. While the pasta cooks, use the time you have to prep and clean.
If you don’t have cooked chicken or don’t want to make it, rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe.
I love this salad eaten immediately at room temperature, but it’s just as delicious chilled. You may need to add more dressing after it’s been in the refrigerator because it tends to soal it up.

Used In This Recipe
Glass Containers + Lids	Meal Prep Containers	Oven Safe Containers

Variations

Chicken provides the most protein in this pasta salad, but you can swap it for your favorite protein.
To stretch this on the cheap, add as many veggies as you like!
This recipe is dairy-free, but I highly recommend trying it with some crumbled feta on top.
I didn’t have fresh garlic the day I made this, but grating some into the dressing is delicious.
Chickpeas give the salad a fantastic texture, but black beans would also work.
You could quickly turn this into a quinoa salad by substituting orzo for cooked quinoa.
One of the easiest ways to change up the flavor of the salad would be to change the dressing.
Don’t like bell peppers or edamame? Any veggie will work here. That’s the beauty of this kind of salad—you can use whatever you like and leave out what you don’t!

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

How To Make This More Budget-Friendly

This high protein pasta salad relies on mostly pantry staples, so it’s already a budget-friendly meal. However, you can do a few things to save more money.

As always, stock up on ingredients you use often when they’re on sale. I can’t say this enough. Stocking up on food at its lowest price will save you money in the long run because you’re not paying full price when you run out.
Use what you have. Recipes are guides, not rules. If you don’t have bell peppers but you do have carrots or cucumbers, use those instead. You don’t have to go to the store for an ingredient or two that can easily be swapped.
We love chicken thighs, but if you have chicken breasts or they’re on sale that week, then by all means, use them.

Check out our vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-carb recipes if you have food sensitivities!

More Recipes You May Like

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High Protein Pasta Salad With Orzo & Chicken

This high protein pasta salad with homemade Greek vinaigrette is packed with flavor and texture and perfect for weekly meal prep!

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Equipment

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

1 8-ounce package package Banza rice pasta
2 cups cooked chicken diced small
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
5 large basil leaves. thinly sliced

Vinaigrette Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Monkfruit (or any sweetener)
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper (or black pepper)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
Mix the dressing in the bottom of a big bowl.
If you haven’t already, prep the veggies and dice the chicken.
When the pasta is done, rinse well with cold water and drain well.
Add the pasta, chicken, veggies, and basil to the bowl with the dressing.
Gently toss to coat the ingredients, taste, and adjust the salt pepper.

Notes

Adjust the salt, pepper, and acid to taste. I like a lot of acid in this salad, so I usually add more lemon and/or vinegar.

High Protein Pasta Salad With Orzo & Chicken

This high protein pasta salad with red wine vinaigrette is packed with flavor and texture and perfect for your weekly meal prep!