Healthy Broccoli Pasta Salad

Here is my favorite broccoli pasta salad recipe, with tender pasta, fresh vegetables, and a creamy tahini-lemon dressing that brings everything together.

This pasta salad is perfect for summer potlucks and weeknight dinners. I love making a big batch on Sunday so we can have easy lunches throughout the week. Plus, it actually tastes better the next day once all the flavors have had time to soak in!

What Kind of Broccoli Should I Use?

Fresh broccoli is definitely your best bet for this pasta salad since it holds up better and has a nice crisp texture after blanching. Look for broccoli with tight, dark green florets and firm stalks – avoid any that look yellowing or wilted. You can use either regular broccoli crowns or the pre-cut florets from the produce section, whichever is easier for you. If you only have frozen broccoli on hand, it can work in a pinch, but keep in mind it tends to be softer and may release more water into your salad, so you’ll want to drain it really well after cooking.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Fusilli: Any short pasta shape works great here – try penne, rotini, or farfalle. You can also use whole wheat or chickpea pasta if you prefer. Just cook according to package directions.
• Green beans: Swap these with asparagus, snap peas, or even edamame for a similar crunch and color.
• Pine nuts: These can be pricey, so feel free to use toasted walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds instead. They’ll still give you that nice nutty flavor and texture.
• Tahini: If you don’t have tahini, try using almond butter or cashew butter. The flavor will be slightly different but still creamy and delicious. You might need to thin it with a bit more water.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: Regular cherry tomatoes work fine if you don’t have sun-dried ones, though you’ll miss out on that concentrated flavor. You could also use roasted red peppers for something different.
• White wine vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar both work as substitutes here without changing the recipe.
• Maple syrup: Honey or agave nectar can replace the maple syrup in equal amounts for that touch of sweetness in the dressing.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking your broccoli and green beans is the fastest way to ruin this salad – they should stay bright green and crisp, so stick to the 1-2 minute blanching time and immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Another mistake is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm, which can make it absorb too much liquid and turn gloppy, so make sure to rinse your cooked fusilli with cold water and let everything cool down first. To keep your salad from tasting bland, don’t skip the final seasoning step after tossing – taste it and adjust with extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice since the vegetables and pasta will absorb some of the dressing’s flavor. For the best texture, toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until golden before adding them on top, and if your tahini dressing seems too thick, whisk in an extra tablespoon of water to help it coat everything evenly.

What to Serve With Broccoli Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty filling on its own, but it pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, or even some marinated tofu if you want to add more protein to your meal. Since it’s already loaded with veggies, I like serving it alongside something simple like garlic bread or focaccia for a complete lunch or dinner. It also works great as a side dish at barbecues or potlucks next to burgers, grilled sausages, or kebabs. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, a simple caprese salad or some hummus with pita chips makes a nice addition to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You might need to add a splash of water or olive oil before serving since the pasta can absorb some of the dressing over time.

Make Ahead: This is a great recipe to prep the night before a picnic or potluck. The vegetables stay crisp and the dressing soaks into the pasta nicely. Just give it a good stir before serving and maybe toss in some fresh basil to brighten it up.

Serve: I prefer this salad cold or at room temperature, so just pull it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to eat. Give it a quick toss and taste it – you might want to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil to refresh the flavors.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 850-950
• Protein: 22-26 g
• Fat: 45-53 g
• Carbohydrates: 95-105 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 3.5 cups broccoli (cut into very small bite-sized florets)
• 1.5 cups green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths)
• 2 cups fusilli (I use Barilla for a perfect al dente texture)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes (finely slivered into thin strips)
• 8 basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted in a dry pan until golden and fragrant)
• salt
• black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Filippi Berio Extra Virgin)
• 3 tbsp tahini (I use Soom for the smoothest consistency)
• 3.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp water

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Toast Pine Nuts

• 1.5 cups green beans
• 3.5 cups broccoli florets
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes
• 8 basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove

Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch lengths, cut broccoli into very small bite-sized florets, dice the zucchini into small cubes, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely sliver the sun-dried tomatoes, and tear the basil leaves by hand.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, then set aside on a plate.

Mincing the garlic clove finely, as you’ll need it for the dressing.

Having everything prepped and ready makes assembly seamless once the pasta and vegetables are cooked.

Step 2: Make the Tahini Dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp water

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and water until smooth and emulsified.

The dressing should be creamy and pourable; if it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.

Set the dressing aside while you prepare the vegetables and pasta.

Step 3: Blanch Broccoli and Green Beans

• 3.5 cups broccoli florets
• 1.5 cups green beans
• salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the broccoli and green beans together and cook for 1-2 minutes until they’re bright green and just tender-crisp.

Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for about 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then drain and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

This quick ice bath preserves their vibrant color and prevents overcooking.

Step 4: Cook the Pasta

• 2 cups fusilli

In the same pot of boiling water used for the vegetables, cook the fusilli according to package directions until al dente.

Drain the pasta and rinse it briefly under cold water to cool it and remove excess starch, then set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Step 5: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• blanched broccoli and green beans from Step 3
• cooked pasta from Step 4
• diced zucchini
• halved cherry tomatoes
• torn basil leaves
• tahini dressing from Step 2
• salt
• black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Add the blanched broccoli and green beans from Step 3, diced zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes, and torn basil leaves to the cooked pasta from Step 4.

Pour the tahini dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring all the ingredients are evenly coated.

Season with additional salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to taste.

Step 6: Finish and Chill

• slivered sun-dried tomatoes
• toasted pine nuts from Step 1

Top the dressed salad with the slivered sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts from Step 1.

Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

I find that letting pasta salads sit helps them become more cohesive and flavorful, so don’t skip this step if you have time.

Healthy Broccoli Pasta Salad

Delicious Healthy Broccoli Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 900

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 3.5 cups broccoli (cut into very small bite-sized florets)
• 1.5 cups green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths)
• 2 cups fusilli (I use Barilla for a perfect al dente texture)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes (finely slivered into thin strips)
• 8 basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted in a dry pan until golden and fragrant)
• salt
• black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

For the dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Filippi Berio Extra Virgin)
• 3 tbsp tahini (I use Soom for the smoothest consistency)
• 3.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp water

Method

 

1. Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch lengths, cut broccoli into very small bite-sized florets, dice the zucchini into small cubes, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely sliver the sun-dried tomatoes, and tear the basil leaves by hand. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, then set aside on a plate. Mincing the garlic clove finely, as you'll need it for the dressing. Having everything prepped and ready makes assembly seamless once the pasta and vegetables are cooked.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and water until smooth and emulsified. The dressing should be creamy and pourable; if it's too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the vegetables and pasta.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and green beans together and cook for 1-2 minutes until they're bright green and just tender-crisp. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for about 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then drain and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. This quick ice bath preserves their vibrant color and prevents overcooking.
4. In the same pot of boiling water used for the vegetables, cook the fusilli according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it briefly under cold water to cool it and remove excess starch, then set aside in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the blanched broccoli and green beans from Step 3, diced zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes, and torn basil leaves to the cooked pasta from Step 4. Pour the tahini dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring all the ingredients are evenly coated. Season with additional salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to taste.
6. Top the dressed salad with the slivered sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts from Step 1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. I find that letting pasta salads sit helps them become more cohesive and flavorful, so don't skip this step if you have time.