Broccoli Pasta Salad (Printable)
Tender broccoli and al dente pasta tossed with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and a zesty olive oil dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 cups broccoli florets
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
→ Pasta
05 - 8 ounces short pasta, such as fusilli, penne, or rotini
→ Dressing
06 - 1/3 cup olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Additions
14 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
15 - 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. In the final 2 minutes of pasta cooking, add broccoli florets to blanch. Drain both together and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - In a spacious mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, blanched broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper.
03 - In a small bowl or a jar, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad contents and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
05 - Just before serving, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds, if using. Chill for at least 30 minutes for enhanced flavor blending. Serve cold or at room temperature.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- This salad stays delicious even after chilling overnight, giving you fewer worries about last-minute prep.
- It’s endlessly flexible, so you can use what’s in your fridge and not miss out on the bright flavors.
02 -
- Learned the hard way: don’t overcook the broccoli—it turns mushy and sad so fast.
- Whisk the dressing until you see it thicken up slightly; it really helps it hug the pasta and veggies.
03 -
- Reserve a splash of pasta water to loosen the dressing if the salad looks a bit stiff after refrigerating.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes in the dressing gives it a gentle kick that always gets noticed.