Creamy Vegetable Pasta Salad
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This creamy vegetable pasta salad takes one of the summer’s best salad and turns it into a potluck and make ahead friendly pasta salad. You are going to love the flavor explosion!
If you love broccoli salad, this creamy vegetable pasta salad is going to be your new favorite. With gemelli pasta, broccoli, bacon, and dried fruit, it has so much flavor in every single bite.
A few years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to broccoli salad. I don’t know how I lived my entire life without every tasting it but I was hooked immediately. I still make it all the time but, now, I also make a Creamy Broccoli Pasta Salad to change things up a bit.
Why You’ll Love Cold Pasta Salad Recipe
- This is a twist on the classic broccoli salad recipe. It includes all the same delicious flavors but adds in delicious, al dente pasta.
- You can easily make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time. If you make it ahead, save a small amount of the dressing before mixing so you can add it immediately before serving.
- There are lots of variations to this cold pasta salad that you can make. From changing the pasta shape to substituting a different cheese to using a different dried fruit, there are lots of possibilities.
Ingredients for Creamy Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Pasta: I use gemelli but any short cut pasta works great here. Be sure to cook whatever shape you choose to al dente based on the package instructions.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli works best in this recipe. Cut it into small florets.
- Red Onion: Red onions are mild enough to be eaten raw making them perfect for this recipe. If you need to substitute, use a white onion.
- Bacon
- Cheddar Cheese: I used cubes of mild cheddar cheese but you can use a sharper cheddar, if you prefer. Shredded cheese can work here but the cubes work better with the other shapes of items in the dish.
- Dried Cherries: Traditional broccoli salad usually has dried cranberries but I love the zing that the cherries give.
- Greek Yogurt and Mayonnaise: Together these form the base the of the dressing. You can use all mayonnaise but I’d recommend removing the honey if you do. If you use all Greek yogurt, you may need to increase the amount of honey or sugar by a small amount.
- Sugar and Honey: These are used to soften the tanginess of the Greek yogurt. They are optional and you can adjust the amounts to your preference.
- Red Wine Vinegar: The vinegar helps thin the dressing out and provides a hint of acidity.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Creamy Vegetable Pasta Salad
This recipe is so simple to make and it perfect for a make ahead recipe. There are just a few short steps:
- Cook your pasta. Follow the instructions for al dente cooking on the package of your selected pasta.
- Make your dressing. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine your ingredients. You’ll need a large bowl to combine the cooked pasta, dressing, broccoli, red onion, bacon, cheese, and dried cherries.
- Refrigerate. This cold pasta salad recipe is best after at least an hour in the refrigerator.
Sometimes, I toss my broccoli into the pasta water for 1-2 minutes and then put it in an ice bath to blanch it. I think it gives it a beautiful green color and softens it just a touch for a better flavor. That step is totally optional though.
More Great Cold Pasta Salad Recipes
- Creamy Cold Tuna Pasta Salad
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- Hawaiian Pizza Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Creamy Broccoli Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 16 ounces gemelli pasta cooked al dente
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 1 red onion diced
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
- 1 cup dried cherries
Dressing:
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Video
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, honey and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.3/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, broccoli, red onion, bacon, cheese, and cherries. Add dressing and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve (minimum one hour recommended).16 ounces gemelli pasta, 1 head broccoli, 1 red onion, 8 slices bacon, 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese, 1 cup dried cherries
Notes
- You can change ratio of yogurt to mayonnaise to make the dressing more or less tangy.
- If desired, blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes and then transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Drain well before adding to the pasta mixture. This step is completely optional.
Nutrition
