Broccoli Pasta Salad (Printable)
Broccoli florets and al dente pasta tossed with a zesty red wine and lemon dressing; serve chilled or at room temperature.
# What You'll 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
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. In the final 2 minutes, add broccoli florets to blanch. Drain and rinse both pasta and broccoli under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Place the cooked pasta, blanched broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper in a large mixing bowl.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly with salad tongs to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - If using, top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds. Chill for at least 30 minutes if time permits to allow flavors to develop. Serve cold or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemony vinaigrette feels like your own secret chef's trick for lifting flavors.
- It's perfect for sharing, but leftovers keep getting tastier in the fridge.
02 -
- Once I let the broccoli linger too long in boiling water, and it turned mushy, making the salad soggy and flat; keep your eye on the clock.
- Switching to freshly squeezed lemon instead of bottle made the whole dish sparkle in a way I hadn’t expected.
03 -
- Always rinse the cooked pasta and broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking and keep things vibrant.
- Letting the salad chill—even briefly—makes a huge difference in melding flavors.