Colorful Broccoli Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Finding a pasta salad that actually tastes good and doesn’t dry out after sitting in the fridge can be surprisingly tricky. Most pasta salads either end up bland and boring, or they’re drowning in so much mayo that you feel guilty eating them, and nobody wants to bring a sad-looking dish to a potluck or serve it at a backyard barbecue.

That’s where this broccoli pasta salad with Italian dressing comes in handy: it’s fresh and flavorful, holds up beautifully for days, and uses a homemade vinaigrette instead of heavy mayo so you can feel good about going back for seconds.

What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

Farfalle, also known as bow-tie pasta, is the classic choice for this salad because its shape holds onto the dressing really well and looks great mixed with all the colorful veggies. That said, you can absolutely swap it out for other short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or shells if that’s what you have in your pantry. Just avoid long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine since they don’t work as well in pasta salads. When cooking your pasta, make sure to cook it al dente and rinse it with cold water after draining to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is super flexible, so feel free to make these swaps based on what you have:

• Farfalle: Any short pasta works great here – try rotini, penne, or fusilli. They all hold onto the dressing nicely and give you that satisfying bite.
• Broccoli: Cauliflower makes a great swap if you’re not a broccoli fan, or you can use a mix of both. You could also try blanched green beans or snap peas for something different.
• Red bell pepper: Yellow or orange bell peppers work just as well. If you want a bit of heat, throw in some diced jalapeños alongside or instead of the bell pepper.
• Cheddar: Mozzarella, provolone, or even crumbled feta are all solid choices. Just cube them into bite-sized pieces like you would the cheddar.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will give you that same tangy kick if you’re out of red wine vinegar.
• Honey: Maple syrup or agave nectar work in the same amount if you don’t have honey on hand.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is not rinsing the cooked pasta with cold water, which stops the cooking process and prevents your farfalle from turning mushy and clumping together.

Another common error is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm – this causes the pasta to absorb too much dressing and leaves your salad dry, so make sure everything is completely cooled before tossing.

To keep your broccoli from being too crunchy or raw-tasting, blanch it in boiling water for just 2-3 minutes before adding it to the salad, then immediately plunge it into ice water to maintain its bright green color.

Finally, pasta salad always tastes better after sitting in the fridge for at least an hour, and you’ll likely need to add a splash more dressing right before serving since the pasta continues to soak it up.

What to Serve With Broccoli Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is perfect for potlucks and cookouts because it pairs well with just about any grilled protein you can think of. I love serving it alongside grilled chicken breasts, burgers, or Italian sausages since the tangy dressing complements smoky grilled flavors really nicely. It also works great as part of a bigger spread with other picnic favorites like coleslaw, potato salad, or baked beans. If you’re keeping things simple, just add some crusty bread and you’ve got yourself a complete meal that’s filling and satisfying.

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 give it a good stir before serving since the dressing can settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead dish for potlucks or meal prep. I like to prepare it the night before so the veggies and pasta have time to soak up all that Italian dressing. Just wait to add the cheese until right before serving if you want it to stay nice and fresh looking.

Refresh: If your pasta salad seems a bit dry after a day or two in the fridge, just drizzle a little extra olive oil and red wine vinegar over it and toss well. The pasta tends to absorb the dressing as it sits, so don’t be shy about adding a splash more to bring it back to life.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1600-1800
• Protein: 35-45 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 8 oz farfalle
• 2.5 cups broccoli (cut into small, bite-sized florets)
• 1.5 red bell pepper
• 3 oz cheddar (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup red onions

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves (minced and mashed into a paste)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 2.5 cups broccoli
• 1.5 red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup red onions
• 3 oz cheddar cheese

Cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets and set aside.

Dice the red bell pepper into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, finely mince the red onion, and cube the cheddar cheese into 1/2-inch pieces.

Having all vegetables and cheese prepped before cooking ensures you can work efficiently once the pasta is done.

Step 2: Cook the Pasta and Blanch the Broccoli

• 8 oz farfalle
• 2.5 cups broccoli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the farfalle according to package directions until al dente.

During the last 2-3 minutes of pasta cooking, add the broccoli florets to the same pot—this saves a dish and lightly softens the broccoli while keeping it crisp.

Drain everything together in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cooled.

I like to spread the pasta and broccoli on a clean kitchen towel for a minute to remove excess moisture, which prevents a watery final salad.

Step 3: Make the Italian Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp honey
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

In a medium bowl, mince the garlic cloves and mash them with the side of your knife into a paste, then add to the bowl.

Whisk together the garlic paste, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the dressing should be balanced between tangy and savory with a subtle sweetness from the honey.

Step 4: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• cooled pasta and broccoli from Step 2
• prepared vegetables and cheese from Step 1
• Italian dressing from Step 3

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta and broccoli from Step 2 with the diced red bell pepper, minced red onion, and cubed cheddar cheese from Step 1.

Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly until every piece is coated.

I recommend letting the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together—this makes a big difference in taste.

Give it one more toss before serving, and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.

Colorful Broccoli Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Delicious Colorful Broccoli Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1700

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 8 oz farfalle
• 2.5 cups broccoli (cut into small, bite-sized florets)
• 1.5 red bell pepper
• 3 oz cheddar (cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup red onions

For the vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves (minced and mashed into a paste)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1.5 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

 

1. Cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets and set aside. Dice the red bell pepper into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, finely mince the red onion, and cube the cheddar cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. Having all vegetables and cheese prepped before cooking ensures you can work efficiently once the pasta is done.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the farfalle according to package directions until al dente. During the last 2-3 minutes of pasta cooking, add the broccoli florets to the same pot—this saves a dish and lightly softens the broccoli while keeping it crisp. Drain everything together in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cooled. I like to spread the pasta and broccoli on a clean kitchen towel for a minute to remove excess moisture, which prevents a watery final salad.
3. In a medium bowl, mince the garlic cloves and mash them with the side of your knife into a paste, then add to the bowl. Whisk together the garlic paste, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the dressing should be balanced between tangy and savory with a subtle sweetness from the honey.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta and broccoli from Step 2 with the diced red bell pepper, minced red onion, and cubed cheddar cheese from Step 1. Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly until every piece is coated. I recommend letting the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together—this makes a big difference in taste. Give it one more toss before serving, and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.