Delicious Broccoli Pasta Salad You’ll Love
A classic and crowd-pleasing broccoli pasta salad that's perfect for potlucks, picnics, or as a side dish. This recipe features tender pasta, crisp broccoli, and a creamy, tangy dressing, all topped with savory bacon.
Equipment
- large bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package rotini pasta
- 1 lb broccoli cut into small florets
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ lb cooked bacon crispy and crumbled
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water, and allow to cool completely.
- Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces, dice red onion finely, and cook bacon until crispy then crumble.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Pour in the dressing mixture, then add the broccoli and onion. Stir until evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to meld and pasta to absorb the dressing.
- Just before serving, fold in the crumbled bacon. Stir thoroughly to combine and serve cold.
Notes
Blanch fresh broccoli for 2-3 minutes and immediately plunge into an ice bath to maintain color and crispness. Cook pasta al dente as it will continue to absorb dressing while chilling. For best texture, keep bacon separate until serving.