Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad

Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad showcases broccoli, farfalle pasta, bacon, grapes, and pecans. The salad is set off with a creamy mayo-based dressing that is naturally sweetened and loaded with flavor!

Try the classic Broccoli Salad or this Lemon-Poppyseed Broccoli Salad next!

Nothing screams summer to me like creamy potluck salads, and today we’re combining two of my favorites– pasta salad and broccoli salad– into one unforgettable side dish. Just like when I combined coleslaw and macaroni salad to create this Macaroni Coleslaw Salad, it’s the best of two worlds in one salad! 

Pasta salad plus broccoli salad makes a combo you’ll be craving all summer long.

Ingredients in this Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad

• Farfalle pasta: Cook farfalle (bow-tie pasta) according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and keep the pasta from sticking together.
• Broccoli: We like the broccoli raw, but you can blanch it first if desired — more on this below.
• Grapes: Red grapes add a nice color contrast and slightly sweeter taste, but green grapes would also work.
• Red onion: The onion adds a nice tang to the salad. If you’re sensitive to the flavor of raw red onion, I have a hack that’ll help tone down the bite. See the quick tip below.  
• Pecans: The pecans add a great nutty savoriness to the salad. We toast the pecans in a skillet to develop a richer flavor.
• Bacon: Because it makes everything better.  Add at the end to avoid soggy bacon. Even better, serve it on the side as a topper for the salad.

Dressing

This simple dressing is naturally sweetened with honey instead of tons of sugar. There’s no strong mayo flavor, thanks to the freshness of the lemon juice, the tang of the sour cream, the pizzazz of Dijon mustard, the sweetness of the honey, and the acidity of the red wine vinegar. Whisk everything together and it’s ready to be tossed with the salad.

Should I cook the broccoli first?

Raw broccoli is pretty standard in vegetable salads, and this salad is no exception. The dressing and chilling time does tone down the broccoli. You’ll also want to make sure to chop the florets into small pieces for the best possible salad.

If you prefer, the broccoli can be blanched before adding it to the salad. Add the florets to a pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain the cooled broccoli thoroughly before using, or it will water down the salad.

Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad tips 

This salad is a classic pasta salad, lots of fruits/veggies, and a thick and creamy mayo-based dressing. Below are a few tips that take this salad from good to wow!

1. Thoroughly dry the ingredients. Don’t add the dressing to wet ingredients. If the pasta is wet from being cooked and the grapes are wet from being washed, it will water down the salad and make the dressing too liquidy.
2. Toast the pecans. This is a small step that adds a lot of flavor and doesn’t take much extra effort. Fill a dry skillet with an even layer of nuts and cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for 5-7 minutes or until fragrant. Watch the nuts very carefully as it is easy to scorch and burn them.
3. Mix gently. Use a silicone spatula to gently mix the ingredients so the pasta doesn’t fall apart and the grapes don’t squish. A spatula like this one is a cook’s best friend at a time like this.
4. Let the salad sit and chill. It’s important to let the ingredients meld with the dressing in the fridge for bit. Plan ahead so the salad has time to chill completely before serving.

More potluck salads 

• Oreo Fluff creamy Oreo dessert “salad”
• Orzo Pasta Salad with a lemon vinaigrette
• Mexican Pasta Salad with a creamy cilantro dressing
• Grape Salad dessert “salad” with creamy grapes and pecans
• Greek Pasta Salad with a Greek-inspired vinaigrette

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5 from 5 votes

Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad

By Chelsea Lords

Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad combines farfalle pasta, crispy bacon, juicy grapes, and pecans, all tossed in a creamy, flavorful mayo-based dressing.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 as a side

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Salad

• ▢ 4 to 5 cups fresh broccoli 1 pound or 2 stalks
• ▢ 8 ounces mini bowtie pasta noodles 1/2 of 1 (16-ounce) package
• ▢ 2 cups halved grapes
• ▢ 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans see note 1
• ▢ 1/2 cup dried coarsely chopped cooked bacon
• ▢ 1/3 cup diced red onion see note 2

Dressing

• ▢ 3/4 cup mayo I recommend Hellman’s/Best Foods
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• ▢ 1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ▢ Salt and pepper

Instructions 

• Prepare pasta according to package directions. Generously salt the water to season the pasta. Once cooked al dente, drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Remove stems from broccoli and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Combine chopped broccoli, cooked pasta, and halved grapes in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients: full-fat mayo, sour cream, mustard, red wine vinegar, honey, lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
• Combine dressing with grapes, broccoli, and pasta. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Right before serving, add chopped pecans (see note 1), cooked and crumbled bacon, and diced red onion (see note 2).

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I like to toast the pecans. To do this, spread them evenly in a dry pan over low heat. Stir around 5–7 minutes or until fragrant. Be careful because the nuts can easily go from toasted to scorched.

Note 2: To take away the bite of the red onion, peel and dice it, then submerge the pieces in a bowl of cold or ice water. Let sit for at least ten minutes, stirring once or twice, before draining and using in this salad. 

Storage: Salad is best eaten the same day it is made.

Nutrition

Serving: 10as a side | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.9g | Protein: 5.3g | Fat: 21.6g | Cholesterol: 9.5mg | Sodium: 124.1mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 11.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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