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Broccoli Pasta Salad combines pasta, pecans, bacon and grapes for some great flavor and texture. It’s the perfect side dish for any upcoming potlucks, picnic or family gathering.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
This Broccoli Pasta Salad is the perfect party side dish. It is similar to this classic broccoli salad recipe but with a few yummy additions. Besides the bow tie pasta, you also include grapes and pecans! Those three simple additions take this salad to a new level.
It’s also a great make ahead salad and in fact, it tastes better if it is made several hours ahead.
Ingredients Needed
- Bow tie pasta
- Broccoli
- Red onion
- Mayonnaise
- Sugar
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Grapes. I use purple grapes for the color.
- Sunflower seeds. I prefer salted sunflower seeds
- Bacon
- Pecans. Toasted pecans are best. You could also use sugared pecans for some additional sweetness.
How to Make Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta to al dente, run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, drain and allow to cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Fry bacon on the stove top until crisp and then crumble.
- Chop broccoli into small florets and half the grapes.
- Mix together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Combine all ingredients except for bacon, sunflower seeds and nuts in large bowl.
- Pour dressing over top and toss to coat.
- Chill for 2-3 hours
- Add bacon, sunflower seeds and nuts before serving so they don’t get soft.
How Far Ahead Can I Make Broccoli Pasta Salad:
- This is a great make a head recipe. The individual components can be prepped a day or two ahead and then everything combined an hour so before serving.
- Broccoli. Can be chopped and prepped several days ahead.
- Pasta. Can be cooked the day before and then just stored in a container in the fridge. I prefer the pasta chilled before adding it to the salad.
- Dressing. Make several days ahead if needed and just kept refrigerated.
- Add everything together an hour or so ahead of time so that the pasta had time to soak in the yumminess of the dressing.
Variations:
- Cheese. Add in small chunks of your favorite cheese such as Cheddar
- Peppers. Add in some chopped red or green peppers.
- Veggies. Use cherry tomatoes, chopped zucchini, cucumbers, cauliflower or any fresh veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will broccoli pasta salad last?
After the salad is assembled it will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
What other kind of pasta can I use?
Instead of bowtie pasta you could also use rotini pasta, penne pasta or small elbow macaroni.
Do I have to refrigerate the salad before serving?
You don’t have to but I think the flavors of the salad are much better after it has been refrigerated for a few hours.
Try these other delicious salads:
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Broccoli Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz farfalle (bow tie ) pasta
- 1 lb. fresh broccoli cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup red onion diced small
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups grapes cut in half
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 8 bacon slices cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup pecans toasted and choped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions, run under cold water, drain and refrigerate for an hour.
- In a bowl, mix together mayo, sugar, vinegar and salt.
- Cut broccoli into small florets and cut grapes in half.
- Combine all salad ingredients except bacon, sunflower seeds and nuts in a large bowl.
- Pour dressing over the top and mix to combine.
- Cover and chill for 2-3 hours
- Add in bacon, sunflower seeds and pecans right before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- This is a great make a head recipe. The individual components can be prepped a day or two ahead and then everything combined an hour so before serving.
- Broccoli. Can be chopped and prepped several days ahead.
- Pasta. Can be cooked the day before and then just stored in a container in the fridge. I prefer the pasta chilled before adding it to the salad.
- Dressing. Make several days ahead if needed and just kept refrigerated.
- Add everything together an hour or so ahead of time so that the pasta had time to soak in the yumminess of the dressing.
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Nutrition Facts:
Tom Rodgers says
I am always asked to make this
For family gatherings and I use apple cider vinegar
Thomas Burger says
Great salad. I did double the dressing recipe.