Broccoli Pasta Salad – the perfect easy side dish for summer barbecues, potlucks and picnics. Best of all, so easy to make with broccoli, red grapes, pecans, feta, dried cranberries and a homemade Mediterranean inspired dressing. Plus recipe video.
With summer just around the corner, pasta salads are the perfect easy side dish for all those outdoor cookouts.
After this 4 pasta salad post was such a hit on Facebook, I decided to create a separate blog post for each recipe that was included – there’s Caprese, Chicken Caesar, Greek Tortellini, Italian Pasta Salad and this Broccoli Pasta Salad included.
HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD
This Broccoli Pasta Salad is loaded with a ton of good stuff and is simple to customize.
- You’re going to start by combining the pasta (I used penne – you can use gluten free as needed) with broccoli, red grapes, cucumbers, radishes, pecans, dried cranberries and some delicious feta.
- Next comes the delicious homemade dressing – instead of the usual mayonnaise based dressing – we lightened it up with Greek yogurt to make it slightly healthier. If you’re in a pinch and don’t feel like whipping up your own dressing, you can use your favorite storebought poppyseed or ranch dressing instead.
We love making this Broccoli Pasta Salad ahead of time since it keeps really well in the fridge! So it’s perfect if you’re planning to make this ahead of time for a picnic or a summer barbecue the next day.
And how amazing would this Broccoli Pasta Salad be for Sunday meal prep? Plus leftovers would be delicious for your school or work lunchbox. Definitely saves you time and money. You can even serve this with some diced chicken to make it even more hearty and filling!
MAKE AHEAD TIPS FOR THIS BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD AND SUNDAY MEAL PREP
- cook the pasta ahead of time and store in a large zip-top bag in the fridge
- wash and chop the vegetables in advance and store in an airtight container or large zip-top bag in the fridge
- make the dressing in advance and store in an resealable jar
- for Sunday Meal prep, divide the pasta salad into lunchboxes – this is my favorite lunch container. Or make all four pasta salads HERE and bring a different one to lunch every day.
- 8 oz medium pasta (I used penne - use gluten free as needed) cooked to al dente according to directions listed on package
- 3 cups broccoli crowns chopped into small pieces
- 2 cups grapes chopped into halves
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1/4 cup sliced radishes
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta divided
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup Poppyseed or Ranch Dressing OR Homemade Dressing
- For the homemade dressing
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey or organic agave syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon poppseeds optional
- salt and black pepper to taste
- For meal prep: lunch containers
- For the homemade dressing: Combine all the ingredients together in a resealable jar. Shake well and set aside.
- For the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, broccoli, red onions, cucumber, radishes and half of the feta to the bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss evenly coat. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Toss in grapes, pecans, cranberries and more crumbled feta before serving.
- For meal prep: Divide salad into lunch containers. Store in fridge for up to 4 days.
Looking for more pasta salads?
The Best Pasta Salads for Summer Parties
Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Caesar Salad
Asian Sesame Steak Fajita Salad
Did you try this recipe?
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