My mom made this Broccoli Pasta Salad recipe for a side dish when we had family in town. I immediately asked for the recipe and here we are.
It’s a simple recipe, nothing too fancy but so much good stuff and flavors are packed into this salad. The dressing is a little sweet which I love plus it’s very Midwestern because it includes mayo as an ingredient. As a born and raised Midwestern girl, I’m happy.
Super simple ingredients for this pasta salad. Great for a Summer picnic or a cozy Fall meal. Here’s what you’ll need:
Making this Broccoli Pasta Salad recipe is very simple. Basically prep all the ingredients and then add everything in one big bowl to mix.
Step one: Roast the chopped pecans by placing them on a sheet pan and baking at 350 for 5-7 minutes.
Step two: Cook the Rotini pasta until al dente, drain and set aside.
Step three: Cut the grapes in half or fourths, cut the broccoli int smaller pieces, and chop the red onion.
Step Four: Mix the dressing- in a bowl add the mayo, sugar, red wine vinegar, and red onions together. Stir until combined.
Step Five: In a big bowl add the cooked pasta, broccoli, grapes, bacon pieces, and pecans. Pour the dressing over everything and mix all together until everything is coated and covered. Serve!
I love using a Rotini pasta for this salad because I find the dressing gets into the spiral of the pasta really well. But really any shirt pasta noodle would work.
Try this pasta salad recipe with bow tie, penne, cellantani, elbow noodles, or even orzo would work great in this recipe.
Absolutely! In fact, this Broccoli Pasta Salad actually will taste better the longer it sits. If you are bringing this dish to a party, I would make it the night before or morning of to get the best flavor results. It will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
If you are serving this side dish recipe in the summer, I would pair with a classic burger, hot dog or chicken sandwich off the grill.
If it’s a cooler month, this tends to go great alongside an Italian dish, steak, or a hearty soup. Basically any main dish will work great to go along with this Broccoli Salad Recipe.
As a Midwestern gal, I love a mayo based dressing, but I know you may be looking for some alternative ideas for this dressing recipe.
My favorite is mayo in this recipe, but you could also try sour cream, greek yogurt, or cottage cheese.
Check out the easy recipe below along with a video tutorial. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Also, be sure to check out these other salad recipes I love!
Simple recipe for Broccoli Pasta Salad with broccoli, grapes, rotini pasta and a slightly sweet dressing over everything. Easy to make and always loved!
1 cup chopped Pecans (optional)
Rotini Pasta (16 ounces)
1 lb fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup mayo
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup red onions, diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups red grapes, cut in half or fourths
8 bacon slices, cooked and torn in small pieces
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the chopped pecan pieces onto a sheet pan and arrange in a single layer. Cook for 5-10 minutes until slightly darker in color. Set aside.
2. Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Cut the broccoli into smaller, bite size pieces. Dice red onion and set aside. Cut grapes into half or fourths.
4. In a medium size bowl, combine the mayo, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, and red onion. Stir together until smooth.
5. In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, broccoli, grapes, pecans, and bacon. Pour the dressing over top and mix everything together to make sure everything is covered in the dressing. Serve and enjoy!
*To store- place in an airtight container and place in the fridge. Will be good for 4-5 days*
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