Cold Soaked Pasta Salad

Megan holding a plastic container full of pasta salad. She's picking up a spoonful.

Prep Time: 20

Dehydrating Time: 6

Total Time: 6 20

Servings: servings

Author: Fresh Off The Grid

This dehydrated pasta salad is chock full of veggies, protein, and FLAVOR, and can be rehydrated on the trail without the need for a stove!

Ingredients

1 cup 4 oz. elbow pasta
15 oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
½ large red bell pepper diced
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ cup diced cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes diced
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet True Lemon

Instructions

At Home

Bring a quart of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook one minute less than the package directions state. Remove from the heat, strain, and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking.
Line dehydrator trays with parchment paper. Spread the pasta onto one or two trays in an even layer. Arrange chickpeas, diced red onion, diced cucumber, and diced tomatoes onto additional trays, making sure that there is room around individual pieces to allow for air circulation.
Dehydrate at 125F for 6-10 hours, or until completely dry. Some ingredients may take longer than others.

To Pack for the Trail

Place the dehydrated ingredients into a sealable bag (or divide between two bags for individual portions) or container and add the remaining seasonings and the True Lemon packet. Pack olive oil in a small squeeze bottle.

On the Trail

At least an hour and a half before lunch, set aside the True Lemon packet and add 200mL (between ¾-1 cup) water per serving to the dehydrated ingredients. If you will be hiking during the soaking time, make sure this is done in a watertight container: Twist & Lock tupperware, Talenti or peanut butter jars are popular options and will hold about one serving each.
Once the salad has rehydrated and the pasta is tender, add the olive oil and True Lemon to taste.

Notes

Storage Tips: This meal can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to six months. If you will need to store the meal for longer than six months, we recommend vacuum sealing and storing it in a cool, dark place.