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This vegan bowtie pasta salad is packed with briny olives, artichoke hearts, and roasted chickpeas. It’s great for lunch, a picnic, or a Doctor Who party. Because you know, bowties are cool.
When David tried to introduce me to Doctor Who, I was hesitant. I’m not a science fiction fan by nature. Yet over the years, I’ve had loads of people try to convince me that their brand of sci-fi was the exception.
Being the youngest child in our family meant that I watched a lot more Star Wars than I had any interest in seeing. And a high school friend insisted episode after episode that I would love Star Trek: The Next Generation… I just needed to watch one more to see the light.
A high school boyfriend even broke up with me after I laughed through an episode of classic Doctor Who. (This was long before the series re-boot in 2005, which came on the scene with a much larger budget and better effects.)
So by the time I met David, I’d been through that story many times.
“No, really, this show is different…”
And yet, he convinced me to watch the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. And he wasn’t wrong. The show was endlessly watchable.
So David had a good track record when the 2005 Doctor Who re-boot came around.
There was no doubt that David would be watching it. He had loved the show since he was a child. Despite my underwhelming history with Doctor Who, I gave it a whirl too… and was totally hooked.
We’ve since watched season after season as the characters have changed, and the Doctor has been played by a variety of new actors.
One of David’s favorites is Matt Smith, who was particularly keen on bowties. I was into making pottery for a while, and I made a series of mugs based on the outfits of the Doctors Who.
So this pasta salad is in honor of Matt Smith and would be great at a Doctor Who themed party. You know he would approve…
“Bowtie pasta is cool.”
Of course, it would also work for any old potluck or a regular Tuesday lunch. This bowtie pasta salad keeps well in the refrigerator, making it a terrific packed lunch option that sticks with you.
Bowtie pasta salad
In honor of the eleventh Doctor, this bowtie pasta salad is a Who’s Who of all of my favorites: roasted chickpeas, olives, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
These ingredients not only make it pop with flavor, but also give this bowtie pasta salad staying power.
(This kind of Mediterranean pasta dish is also delicious in an Israeli couscous salad.)
You can make the roasted chickpeas either in the oven or in the air fryer. I’ve been really into the grilled variety of jarred artichoke hearts, but any marinated artichoke hearts will do.
It’s finished with a splash of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and zested garlic. It has a delicious bite that I know you’re going to love.
Want to up the geekiness on this bowtie pasta salad? Serve it with Adipose-shaped tofu.
Bowtie pasta salad with roasted chickpeas
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry farfalle (a.k.a. bowtie pasta) about 1 1/2 cups, cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup roasted chickpeas in the air fryer or oven*
- 1/4 cup sliced olives I prefer Castelvetrano
- 1/2 cup chopped jarred marinated artichoke hearts Grilled are my favorite.
- 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small clove garlic zested with Microplane zester
- 1 handful fresh basil roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked farfalle pasta, roasted chickpeas, olives, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, zested garlic, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold. If you're serving the pasta salad cold, remember that the pasta will soak up some of the balsamic vinegar and oil. Taste before serving and refresh with more oil, vinegar, salt, and/or pepper, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
I originally shared this post in 2012. This post, pictures, and recipe were updated on December 20, 2017.
GiGi says
All the cool kids are watching Doctor Who. I am very curious about this show now.
yes, so true how we can venture into a world formerly unbeknownst to us through a partner. Also anyone who wears a fez and holds a gigantic farfalle is a new friend of mine. Artichokes, olives and chickpeas too? Righton !
kittee says
Accordingly, I am not cool. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one episode, and I’m a Sci Fi lover. Bow tie pasta, on the other had, we are fast friends.
Cadry says
Oh, Kittee! If you’re a sci fi lover, you should definitely check it out! I’m not a sci fi fan in general. Although, I’ve had a million friends/boyfriends who were into science fiction and so I’ve seen my fair share of it! I think Dr. Who transcends the genre. While it certainly has Sci Fi elements with aliens and spaceships, for me the most compelling aspects are in the relationships.
Cadry says
Are all of the cool kids watching Dr. Who? I noticed that they actually have Dr. Who-themed costumes at Hot Topic at the mall. It’s certainly becoming mainstream in the States in a way that it never has been before. David actually learned how to knit as a kid (something he still enjoys today), because he wanted a scarf like the Dr. Who of the time. When he was a child getting teased for it, I bet he never would have believed that someday it would be so popular!
You should check out Dr. Who! I recommend starting with the new series, which had Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. It pays off in the long run to see how it unfolds. If only we lived closer, I’d loan you my DVD’s! 🙂
GiGi says
PS bow tie and cup 🙂 🙂
Cadry says
😀
Somer says
I love farfalle! I think it’s my favorite pasta because it’s so cute! Pair it with tofu, in a salad? Well now you know how to make my heart pitter patter. Cadry, I’m so glad MOFO is almost over, I can’t keep up!?! Although that chopped challenge is really interesting this round!
Cadry says
I rarely eat farfalle, because it’s very hard to find whole wheat, organic, and vegan. For some odd reason in the colors they often use squid ink! Egads! Who wants that? But they are so cute and I like the extra chewiness because of the shape.
It’s definitely hard to keep up with MoFo – both in the writing, photographing, and posting, and in reading and commenting on other blogs! I have two cookbooks just waiting for me to break into them once the month is over! 🙂
I just checked out the challenge for this weekend, and those are intriguing ingredients indeed. If you make something, I look forward to seeing what you do!!
cookeasyvegan says
I wish GF pasta came in bow ties. I never could get into the old Dr. Who and then after so many years it seemed like it would be hopeless to try to catch up. Maybe it’s not too late to join the Dr. Who party since he changes so much with each regeneration. Or maybe I should just make the salad.
Cadry says
I was saying to Somer that it’s surprisingly tricky (at least where I live) to get organic, vegan, whole wheat farfalle, and so I’m not surprised GF is a no go! For whatever reason, they were only available with refined flour, and I looked several places. The kind I bought, Montebello, is organic and just had one ingredient. So I appreciated that. I couldn’t believe how many brands had squid ink in them! Blech! Anyway, this salad would be great with any shape of pasta. I just used bow tie to fit the theme.
I can’t recommend Dr. Who highly enough! I’ve tried on a few occasions, both in my married life & earlier, to get into the old Dr. Who. It’s okay, but it’s not something I’d need to watch all the time. The new version is a whole new game, though. They have some references to the old series, but it’s completely watchable without having that history. I recommend starting with the beginning of the new series when Christopher Eccleston was the Doctor. It’s very cool to see how the relationships and story develops. I predict you’ll be hooked in no time! 🙂
cookeasyvegan says
squid ink? Yuck. That’s a new one to me. I don’t think I ever was able to find whole wheat bow ties, either. I’m reluctant to get hooked into another series, but I’ll try out an episode of Dr. Who and see how it goes.
Cadry says
If you do watch an episode or two, I’ll be interested to hear what you think!
Caitlin says
i grew up loving pasta salad. my mom made it and it was amazing! i much prefer your version nowadays, as hers contains pepperoni and cheese cubes :/
i know what you mean about people assuming that one person in the couple convinced the other to go vegan. i had been vegan for 5 years before dayv made the commitment. but it was truly his decision.
Cadry says
Good for Dayv! It bugs me when people write-off one person’s transition, because they assume they were pressured. It minimizes that person’s experience and dedication. In the above example, just because David introduced me to Doctor Who or Buffy doesn’t mean that it’s any less mine. The same goes for him with veganism. I never pressured him to go vegetarian or vegan, and his dedication to the animals is very much his own.
Bobbie {the vegan crew} says
That’s so true about relationships introducing you to other things — that’s part of the beauty of it. I made it a point to never ask Erik to go veg. Instead I shared information (as I would about any interest I had), answered questions and let him experience it through me. It *really* bothers me when people assume, as they often do, that he’s vegan because I forced him into it…he is perfectly capable of making his own decisions and deserves more credit than that. 🙂
I’ve never seen Dr. Who, but I love this theme already! It’s super cute with the mug and bow ties! This pasta salad looks so tasty and filling. It never occurred to me to add chunks of tofu (or chickpeas) to a pasta salad before — I like!
Cadry says
Well said, Bobbie! One of the wonderful things about romantic relationships and friendships is discovering something through someone else. Like you, I never pressured David. When I’d learn things through reading and podcasts, we talked about it at dinner (like we talk about many things). David is a compassionate, thoughtful person. It completely tracks to me that those thoughts and feelings would lead him to veganism. He didn’t need any pressure from me to go there!
Sister Legumes says
awesome! I love doctor who. faux fish fingers and custard ahoy!
Cadry says
Excellent! Fingers & custard is in the works for sure! 🙂
Maggie Muggins says
I keep hearing about Dr. Who but have never seen it on tv, so have never watched it. It seems I need to download some episodes. I’m totally on board with Buffy though, love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I spent many days in my room during highschool “studying”, but actually watching episodes of Buffy 🙂
I love bowtie pasta. I know pasta is just pasta but it makes things seem fancier then your standard noodle. This recipe sounds delish, saving it for my next BBQ.
Cadry says
If you like Buffy, you should definitely check out Doctor Who! They’re different types of shows, of course, but they both have sci fi elements while telling a larger story about relationships. I recommend starting with the 2005 start of the new series.
Lindsay says
Brilliant!!!!! I love the idea of Bow-tie pasta to celebrate Dr Who!!
Cadry says
Thanks, Lindsay!
Kristy says
I have so many friends, and now you, who are Dr. Who disciples. I feel like I’m missing out. Is it 12 year old appropriate?
Your pasta salad looks so great, but what I love most about it is the title: Bow Tie Pasta Salad is Cool. It’s probably the best name for a pasta salad ever. 🙂
Cadry says
Oh, yes! Check it out, Kristy! It’s definitely 12-year-old appropriate. In England, it’s a popular show for the whole family.
The title of the dish comes from one of the Doctor’s catchphrases. His signature costume piece is his bow tie, and he often says, “Bow ties are cool.” 🙂
Becky says
I am going through all of your Dr. Who posts now and drooling over all of your awesome swag! Where did you get that giant Dalek and the TARDIS serving dish?? They are so awesome!
Cadry says
Thanks, Becky! The giant Dalek was a gift given to my husband by his former bosses a few years ago. They got it at Comic-Con, but it’s available online too. It’s actually remote control! It talks and can do some things on command. It’s a hit with kids when they come over. I made the TARDIS dish. I’m glad you like it! 🙂