Best 8 Italian Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipes

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

Broccoli pasta salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that can be enjoyed as a main course or side dish. Originating from Italy, this dish has gained popularity worldwide for its medley of textures and blend of flavors. Whether you prefer classic or unique ingredients, this versatile salad offers endless variations to suit every palate. With just a few simple steps, you can create a delicious Italian broccoli pasta salad that will surely impress your family and friends. So, gather your ingredients, let's embark on a culinary journey where fresh broccoli, tender pasta, and zesty dressings come together to create a delightful dish that celebrates the flavors of Italy.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

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

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 :

ITALIAN BROCCOLI SALAD



Italian Broccoli Salad image

This is great with an Italian dinner, esp spaghetti but try adding in some leftover cooked pasta and cooked meat (chicken is great) and you have a perfect for summer main dish salad! Cooking time is time to chill to allow flavors to meld.

Provided by LAURIE

Categories     Peppers

Time 2h10m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 1/2 lbs broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup green onion, choppe
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, julienne strips
1/2 cup yellow pepper, julienne strips
1 cup Italian dressing (light or regular)

Steps:

  • Cook broccoli to tender crisp and cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, add broccoli, onions, black olives and peppers.
  • Add Italian dressing and toss to coat evenly.
  • Chill for 1-2 hours and stir before serving.
  • Serve as a salad or over pasta.

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.

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.

PASTA AND BROCCOLI SALAD



Pasta and Broccoli Salad image

Cooking the pasta and the broccoli together makes this easy salad even simpler.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Salad Recipes

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup penne, fusilli, or ziti
Salt and pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedge (optional)

Steps:

  • Cook pasta in boiling salted water, 7 minutes. Add broccoli; cook until both pasta and broccoli are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water.
  • In a small bowl, combine pasta, broccoli, Parmesan, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add olive oil, and toss. If desired, squeeze a lemon wedge over salad just before eating.

ITALIAN BROCCOLI & PASTA



Italian Broccoli & Pasta image

This quick, yummy, fairly healthy recipe came from the internet (can't remember the site) and I modified it to our families taste. My Italian hubby grew up on this (although I make it a tad differently). We eat it as a main dish, although you could easily eat it as a side for any kind of meat or fish. Adjust the broth to your preferences, my husband likes it soupy, so this version has a lot of broth.

Provided by hmtheLords

Categories     Penne

Time 25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch broccoli, separated into florets (or 1 bag frozen florets)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup fresh basil, chopped (adjust to your taste) or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (adjust to your taste)
1 lb rigatoni pasta (you can use any pasta you like)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (dried, to taste)
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste (and more for serving!)

Steps:

  • In a large skillet heat oil and butter; gently brown the garlic. Add broccoli; stir gently. Add chicken broth, cover, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until broccoli is al dente.
  • Add the broccoli mixture to the rigatoni and flavor with basil, parsley, pepper and cheese. Stir until combined. Serve with cheese to sprinkle on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 833, Fat 41, SaturatedFat 10.1, Cholesterol 116.5, Sodium 595.6, Carbohydrate 93.5, Fiber 8.3, Sugar 5.2, Protein 25.9

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:

  • Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the taste of your pasta salad.
  • Don't overcook the pasta. Al dente pasta is the best choice for pasta salad, as it will hold its shape and texture when tossed with the other ingredients.
  • Let the pasta salad cool completely before serving. This will help to prevent the pasta from becoming soggy.
  • Use a light, flavorful dressing. A vinaigrette or lemon-herb dressing is a good choice for pasta salad.
  • Add some fresh herbs to the pasta salad for extra flavor. Basil, parsley, and oregano are all good choices.
  • Serve the pasta salad immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Conclusion:

Italian broccoli pasta salad is a delicious and refreshing summer dish. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. With its vibrant colors and flavors, this pasta salad is sure to be a hit at your next party or picnic.

Related Topics