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Fresh Broccoli Pasta Salad

Fresh broccoli pasta salad with bright green blanched broccoli, bacon, dried cranberries, and a creamy mayonnaise-vinegar dressing. Rotini or bow-tie pasta is chilled until flavors meld for a crisp, scoopable veggie salad.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or bow-tie pasta Choose a sturdy shape that holds dressing well.
vegetables
  • 4 cup broccoli florets Blanch until bright green and just-tender.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Finely diced for even bites.
mix-ins
  • 8 bacon Cook until crisp, then crumble.
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries Adds tart bursts.
  • 0.5 cup sunflower seeds For crunch.
dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise Creamy base for coating pasta and broccoli.
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar Tang balances the mayo.
  • 2 tbsp sugar Rounds out the flavor.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pasta and broccoli
  1. Cook the rotini or bow-tie pasta in boiling water according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
  2. Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge into ice water and drain well to keep them bright green.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, broccoli florets, bacon, red onion, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated, with no dry pasta showing.
  3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving to let flavors meld and the dressing set.

Notes

For best texture, rinse pasta thoroughly with cold water so it doesn’t keep cooking, and drain broccoli very well to avoid watery dressing. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 4 days (do not freeze; creamy mayo dressing can separate). For a lighter version, use mayonnaise made with olive oil or an 80% less-fat mayo if you want a similar creamy tang with fewer calories.