Best 7 Italian Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Indulge in the vibrant flavors of Italy with this tantalizing broccoli pasta salad. Featuring a medley of fresh broccoli florets, tender pasta, and a tangy dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs, this salad is a symphony of textures and flavors. Whether you're planning a picnic, a potluck, or simply seeking a light and refreshing meal, this versatile dish will surely impress. With variations ranging from a classic broccoli salad with a creamy dressing to a roasted broccoli salad with a balsamic glaze, there's something for every palate. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey through Italy with these delightful broccoli pasta salad recipes.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD



Broccoli Pasta Salad image

A quick and tasty pasta salad that can be served warm or cold.

Provided by Happy On My Hill

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta
1 (12 ounce) bag broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
¼ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup finely shredded Romano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and return to pot.
  • Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, cover, and steam until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is fragrant, 1 to 3 minutes. Add garlic mixture and broccoli to linguine; gently toss to coat. Add Romano cheese, parsley, black pepper, and salt; toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 275.3 calories, Carbohydrate 32.2 g, Cholesterol 10.3 mg, Fat 12.8 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 9.9 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 141 mg, Sugar 2.3 g

BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD



Broccoli Pasta Salad image

A simple pasta salad with fresh crisp broccoli, bacon and onion in a creamy homemade dressing!

Provided by Holly Nilsson

Categories     Side Dish

Time 23m

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 cups broccoli (cut into small pieces)
8 ounces rotini pasta (or short pasta)
⅓ cup red onion (diced)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sunflower seeds
8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
½ cup feta cheese (optional)
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
salt & pepper

Steps:

  • Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.
  • Add remaining ingredients to a larger bowl.
  • Pour the prepared dressing over and mix well.
  • Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 424 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 9 g, Fat 28 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 302 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving

ITALIAN BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD



Italian Broccoli Pasta Salad image

"I've served this dish at our children's graduation parties, and everyone has asked for the recipe," Loretta Conrey notes from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The chilled pasta salad is perfect for a picnic or potluck. Dressed with a light coating of reduced-fat salad dressing, it's chock-full of good-for-you cauliflower, carrot and broccoli bits.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 20m

Yield 10 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

8 ounces uncooked spiral pasta
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon water
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup creamy Italian salad dressing
1-1/2 teaspoons dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe dish, combine the cauliflower, broccoli, carrot and water. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Immediately place vegetables in ice water. Drain and pat dry., Drain pasta and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, vegetable mixture, water chestnuts, olives and onion. In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, dill and salt. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Nutrition Facts :

COLORFUL SPIRAL PASTA SALAD



Colorful Spiral Pasta Salad image

Tackle gatherings with a bright pasta salad. This tricolor toss-up with broccoli, tomatoes, olives and a hardworking dressing is one of the easiest cold pasta salad recipes you could take. -Amanda Cable, Boxford, Massachusetts

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch     Side Dishes

Time 20m

Yield 14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 package (12 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups Italian salad dressing with roasted red pepper and Parmesan

Steps:

  • In a Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse in cold water., Transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, salt and pepper. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 149 calories, Fat 4g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 513mg sodium, Carbohydrate 24g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.

SICILIAN PASTA AND BROCCOLI



Sicilian Pasta and Broccoli image

This is a simple dish my grandmother made for me when I was a child. Now I make it for my daughter, Xea, and she loves it. As the broccoli takes on a toasty brown color, it develops a delicious nutty flavor that even picky kids will like.

Provided by Antonia Lofaso

Categories     main-dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup olive oil, or more if needed
2 large heads broccoli, cut in 1-inch florets (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 pound penne rigate (Penne rigate is my favorite because the ridges give it more texture.)
1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Steps:

  • Heat the water for your pasta while you prepare the broccoli.
  • In a shallow, 10-inch saute pot, heat the 1 cup olive oil over medium-high heat (see Cook's Note). Add the broccoli to the oil and season it with salt. Saute the broccoli for about 4 minutes, or until it takes on a toasty color. The broccoli will absorb a lot of the oil, so if you find your pot getting dry, just add a little more oil to it. Throw in the garlic and cook for about another minute, until it's slightly brown. Don't burn the garlic! Take the broccoli off the heat and set it aside.
  • Prepare the penne according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pot with the broccoli, garlic, and olive oil. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.
  • Toss in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir, and garnish with the parsley.

ITALIAN BROCCOLI SALAD



Italian Broccoli Salad image

This adaptable make-ahead salad is a great instant lunch or side dish. It starts with raw broccoli florets and stems, thinly sliced into irregular shapes to create many textures. As the broccoli sits with salt and vinegar, it softens and becomes slaw. Its mellow flavor is contrasted by the loud ingredients typically found in an Italian sub or chopped salad, like shallots, pickled peppers, olives and provolone. Feel free to add more protein in the form of cured meats, chickpeas, lentils or mozzarella; vegetables like sweet tomatoes or iceberg lettuce; or basil.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories     dinner, easy, lunch, salads and dressings, vegetables, main course, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds broccoli (about 2 medium heads)
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup drained, sliced pickled peppers, such as peperoncini
1/4 cup pitted, torn olives, such as kalamata or Castelvetrano
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1/3 cup red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
3 slices provolone (about 3 ounces), torn or cut into bite-size pieces (or use 1 1/2 ounces aged provolone)

Steps:

  • Rinse the sliced shallot under cold water and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Cut the stalks away from the broccoli heads. Using a knife or vegetable peeler, remove the fibrous outer layer of the stalks so its light green insides emerge; compost or discard the outer layer. Thinly slice the stalks crosswise, then thinly slice the heads into bite-size pieces. (A mix of shapes and sizes adds texture to the salad, so chop up the broccoli a few ways; there's no one right way to go about it.) Transfer to the large bowl as you go, then transfer any loose bits from the cutting board to the bowl.
  • Season the broccoli generously with salt and pepper, then add the almonds, pickled peppers, olives, oil, vinegar and provolone. Toss vigorously with a spoon until everything is combined and the broccoli is shiny with oil.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar as needed. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving. The salad improves with age as its flavors meld, and it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Before serving, bring to room temperature and adjust salt, pepper, oil and vinegar to taste, as flavors change in the fridge.

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD



Italian Pasta Salad image

Black olives, broccoli and peppers combine with zingy dressing to create this Italian-style pasta salad-a perennial picnic and potluck favorite.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Pasta

Time 2h20m

Yield 8 servings, about 1 cup each

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 cups rotini pasta, cooked
2 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

Steps:

  • Combine all ingredients except dressing in large bowl.
  • Add dressing; mix lightly.
  • Refrigerate several hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 230, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 500 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 8 g

Tips:

  • Choose the right broccoli: Look for broccoli with tightly closed florets and a deep green color. Avoid broccoli with yellow or wilted florets.
  • Cook the broccoli properly: Broccoli should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight crunch. Overcooked broccoli will become mushy and lose its flavor.
  • Use a variety of vegetables: This recipe is a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Feel free to add or substitute any vegetables that you like.
  • Make it a meal: This pasta salad can be served as a main course or a side dish. Add some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a complete meal.
  • Chill before serving: This pasta salad is best served chilled. This allows the flavors to meld and the pasta to absorb the dressing.

Conclusion:

This Italian broccoli pasta salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is packed with healthy vegetables and is a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. The dressing is light and flavorful, and the pasta is cooked to perfection. This salad is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it.

Related Topics