Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipe
This broccoli pasta salad combines tender rotini, crisp broccoli, sharp red onion, and smoky bacon with a creamy red wine vinegar dressing. After chilling, the flavors blend into a cool, savory, slightly sweet pasta salad ideal for serving at gatherings, potlucks, or casual meals.
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Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 1 pound fresh broccoli trimmed and separated into small florets
- 1/2 pound fully cooked bacon prepared until crisp and broken into crumbles
- 1 package rotini pasta 16 ounces
- 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped into small pieces for a gentler bite
- For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cups mayonnaise such as Hellmann’s
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground or ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rotini according to the directions on the package until properly tender. Drain thoroughly, then allow the pasta to cool slightly.
- While the pasta cooks, cut the broccoli into small florets, finely dice the red onion, and crumble the cooked bacon into bite-size pieces.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth, creamy, and evenly blended.
- Place the drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the prepared dressing, broccoli florets, and chopped red onion.
- Stir until the pasta is fully coated and the vegetables are evenly dispersed throughout the salad. Keep the bacon aside at this point so it stays crisp.
- Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, then refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 3 hours so the dressing can absorb into the pasta and the flavors can develop.
- Right before serving, scatter the crumbled bacon over the chilled salad. Stir well to combine, keeping the bacon pleasantly crisp, then serve immediately.
Notes
Add the bacon only just before serving to preserve its crunchy texture.