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Fresh Broccoli Pasta Salad

Fresh broccoli pasta salad with crunchy blanched broccoli, bacon bits, and dried cranberries tossed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing. Rotini or bow-tie pasta is rinsed cold for a firm bite, then chilled for 2+ hours for the best flavor blend.
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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 and vegetables
  • 1 lb rotini or bow-tie pasta Use 1 lb dried pasta.
  • 4 cup broccoli florets Blanch and chill to keep them bright green.
  • 8 bacon Cooked and crumbled.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Finely diced.
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup sunflower seeds
Creamy dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or bow-tie pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Blanch broccoli
  1. Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge them into ice water and drain.
Make the dressing
  1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine the pasta, blanched broccoli, crumbled bacon, diced red onion, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat every piece.
  3. Refrigerate the broccoli pasta salad for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the pasta and ice-bath the broccoli so the salad stays crisp and bright green instead of turning soft. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the texture is best within 2 days. Freezing is not recommended because the broccoli and dressing can break. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise in the dressing without changing the rest of the method.