Broccoli Pasta Salad

This broccoli pasta salad is delightfully crisp, and packed with the flavor of bacon, onions, cranberries, and tangy dressing, combined with the comfort food quality of pasta.

It’s perfect for spring and summer, and such a great recipe to take to potlucks or a picnic!

I really love this salad because it’s such a nice way to enjoy vegetables – not just tolerate them. 

I also love that it’s a vegetable and carb wrapped into one dish, which simplifies my dinner prep significantly.

Ingredients for broccoli pasta salad

These ingredients are pretty straight forward – you likely already have them in your pantry and refrigerator.

• Rotini pasta
• Broccoli
• Onion
• Bacon
• Dried cranberries – or you can sub raisins
• Mayonaise
• Sugar
• Salt
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Pepper

The dressing for this salad is very similar to homemade coleslaw dressing, with a creamy texture, and a tangy, sweet flavor.

Substitutions, and ingredients changes

As with a lot of “toss together” recipes, you can make a lot of changes with no real harm, as long as it tastes good to you. Keep in mind though, that at a certain point, it’s no longer the same recipe 😉

 

Pasta – You can substitute penne, or elbow macaroni if you prefer – although with elbows, I recommend cutting your broccoli florets smaller to match. You can also use a protein pasta, such as Banza chickpea pasta.

There isn’t a whole lot of substitutions for broccoli. Frozen broccoli doesn’t have very good texture for this, and the closest vegetable substitute is probably cauliflower, which you could use, but would completely change the flavor and texture.

Onion – I like to use red onion. Use more or less as you prefer.

Bacon – If you prefer to make this a vegetarian recipe, feel free to leave it out. Something like roasted almond slivers with salt as a substitute will help bring back that texture and salty pop of flavor. You could also use soy-based imitation bacon bits.

Dried cranberries. I really like these because they have a sweet-tart flavor, and nice texture. I’m a passionate hater of raisins, but if that’s your vibe, feel free to make a substitute here.

Mayonnaise. I like to use homemade mayonnaise in all my recipes, using pastured eggs. If you prefer a vegan mayo, feel free to use it instead.

Sugar. I know that eliminating sugar is all the rage, but it really does help round out the flavor of this salad. For an unrefined version, try substituting honey or maple syrup. Coconut sugar is also a good work around.

Apple cider vinegar. This gives the dressing its tanginess. You could use white vinegar, or red wine vinegar if you prefer, but I like the apple cider version.

Salt and black pepper. These, of course, are essential for flavor. Feel free to adjust to your taste buds.

Other ingredients you could add:

• Chopped nuts such as pecans
• Sunflower seeds, as in this classic broccoli salad recipe
• Diced celery
• Garlic
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded cheese
• Grilled chicken – make it a whole meal in one!
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red pepper

These are all great additions that add color and nutrition to your salad!

Broccoli pasta salad Recipe

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions until tender. Once done, drain, and rinse with cold water.
2. While pasta is cooking, wash broccoli, cut out the center stem, and break down into smaller florets.
3. Cook and crumble bacon.
   
4. Toss cooked and cooled rotting, broccoli, bacon, and cranberries together in a bowl.
5. In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, slat, and pepper, and mix well.
   
6. Drizzle over broccoli and pasta mixture, and toss well to coat.
   
7. Serve immediately.

How to store broccoli pasta salad

If you’re making this ahead of time, I recommend storing the salad, and the dressing separately, then tossing just before serving. This ensures that the pasta doesn’t have a change to absorb all the dressing, and neutralize its flavors.

If you have salad leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to serve again, toss with a splash of vinegar to refresh.

Other recipes you’ll love:

• Quinoa Chickpea Salad
• Cheesy Broccoli Rice skillet dinner
• Coleslaw Recipe without mayo
• Lemon Garlic Asparagus
• Balsamic Roasted Beets

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