Broccoli Pasta Salad is a chilled pasta salad with rotini, fresh broccoli, bacon, red onion, Craisins, sliced almonds, and a creamy apple cider vinegar dressing. It has a good mix of textures: tender pasta, crisp broccoli, smoky bacon, chewy dried cranberries, and crunchy almonds. The dressing is made with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and black pepper, giving the salad a creamy, lightly tangy finish.

This Broccoli Pasta Salad is useful for potlucks, cookouts, meal prep, or a side dish that can sit nicely alongside sandwiches, grilled mains, or casual dinners. It is hearty enough to feel filling, but the broccoli and onion keep it fresh. The rotini shape works well because the twists hold the dressing and catch small bits of bacon, almonds, and Craisins.

The recipe does not provide prep time, cook time, total time, servings, or nutrition details, so those values are not added here as facts. The method itself is direct: cook the pasta, cook and crumble the bacon, cut the broccoli, mix the salad, whisk the dressing, toss, and serve. For a lunch plate, this salad would sit nicely beside a grilled chicken Caesar salad wrap.

Ingredients

The ingredients in Broccoli Pasta Salad are familiar, but they create a lot of contrast. Rotini pasta forms the base. Fresh broccoli gives the salad crunch and color. Bacon adds savory depth. Red onion brings a sharper bite, while Craisins add sweetness. Sliced almonds add another layer of crunch.

The dressing uses mayonnaise for creaminess, apple cider vinegar for tang, sugar for balance, and salt and black pepper for seasoning.

You will need:

8 z. Rotini pasta (uncooked)
1 head fresh broccoli
6 slices of bacon
1 small red onion
3/4 cup Craisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup mayonaise
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Because the broccoli is served raw in the salad, cut it into bite-sized pieces. Pieces that are too large can make the salad harder to eat and harder to coat with dressing. The recipe calls for removing the center stem and breaking or cutting the florets into smaller pieces.

What makes this Broccoli Pasta Salad work

Broccoli Pasta Salad works because it balances creamy, crunchy, sweet, savory, and tangy parts in one bowl. Pasta salads can feel heavy when they are only pasta and dressing, but the broccoli lightens the texture and adds freshness.

The bacon and almonds bring two different kinds of crunch. Bacon gives a salty, savory bite, while almonds add a gentler nutty crunch. The Craisins stand out because they bring sweetness and chewiness, which pairs well with the vinegar in the dressing.

The dressing is also balanced. Mayonnaise on its own would be rich, but apple cider vinegar cuts through it. Sugar softens the vinegar’s edge, while salt and black pepper keep the dressing from tasting flat.

How to Toss Broccoli Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing

Begin by cooking the rotini according to package instructions. While the water for the rotini is heating, cook the bacon until golden brown on each side. Once cooked, crumble the bacon.

Wash the broccoli. Cut out the center stem, then break or cut the florets into bite-sized pieces. Chop or thinly slice the red onion.

When the pasta is done, drain it and rinse it with cold water. Rinsing helps cool the pasta and keeps it from continuing to cook. It also helps the pasta feel right for a chilled salad.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta, bacon, broccoli, onion, almonds, and Craisins together. Set the bowl aside for a minute while you make the dressing.

In a smaller bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the dressing is smooth.

Drizzle the dressing over the broccoli-pasta mixture and toss to combine. Serve once the salad is evenly coated.

Substitutions and ingredient changes

Broccoli Pasta Salad has a lot of room for practical changes, as long as you keep the same basic balance. The recipe is built around pasta, broccoli, bacon, onion, fruit, nuts, and creamy dressing.

If you want the onion flavor to be softer, slice the red onion thinly. Smaller pieces blend more evenly into the salad and do not dominate the bite. If you like a stronger onion presence, chopped onion gives more noticeable pieces.

For the broccoli, keep it fresh rather than cooked if you want the crisp texture intended by the recipe. The instructions call for washing and cutting the broccoli, not cooking it. That keeps the salad crunchy and bright.

The sliced almonds are part of the texture. If you need to leave them out for personal preference or an allergy concern, the salad will lose some crunch, but the bacon and broccoli still give it bite. Do not add a replacement unless you know it fits your needs.

For the dressing, use the ingredient amounts as written for the best balance. The apple cider vinegar and sugar work together, so changing one can make the dressing too sharp or too sweet.

Tips for better pasta salad texture

Cook the rotini only according to the package instructions. Overcooked pasta can become soft once it is dressed, especially in a creamy pasta salad.

Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water as the instructions say. This cools it quickly and helps keep the salad from becoming warm and loose when the dressing is added.

Drain the pasta well after rinsing. Extra water can thin the dressing and make it harder for the creamy mixture to cling to the rotini.

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Smaller florets are easier to mix and eat. They also distribute more evenly through the salad.

Mix the dressing in a smaller bowl before adding it to the salad. This helps the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper blend into the mayonnaise before everything gets tossed together.

How to serve Broccoli Pasta Salad

Broccoli Pasta Salad is a strong side dish for casual meals. It pairs well with burgers, grilled chicken, sandwiches, or picnic-style spreads. Because it has pasta, bacon, nuts, and vegetables, it feels more filling than a plain green salad.

Serve it in a wide bowl so the mix of rotini, broccoli, bacon, Craisins, and almonds is easy to see. Give it a gentle toss before serving if it has been sitting, since creamy dressings can settle slightly.

This salad is also helpful for make-ahead meals. The ingredients are sturdy, and the broccoli keeps its crunch better than softer vegetables. For the best eating texture, keep it cold until serving. For another broccoli dinner pairing, this teriyaki glazed salmon with steamed broccoli keeps the same green vegetable theme.

How to store Broccoli Pasta Salad

Store Broccoli Pasta Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Since the dressing is mayonnaise-based and the salad includes bacon, keep it chilled when it is not being served. Illinois Extension also shares useful guidance for storing pasta salad in an airtight container and refrigerating it.

If the salad has been refrigerated, stir it before serving. The dressing may settle at the bottom of the container, and tossing helps coat the pasta and broccoli again.

For the best texture, avoid leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator. Pasta can dry out when exposed to air, and the broccoli can lose its crisp feel. A tightly covered container protects the salad and keeps the flavors together.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not skip rinsing the pasta. The recipe specifically says to rinse with cold water after draining. This step matters for a cool pasta salad.

Do not leave the broccoli in large pieces. Big florets make the salad harder to toss and harder to eat.

Do not pour the dressing ingredients straight over the salad without mixing them first. Combining them in a smaller bowl gives the dressing a smoother texture and a more even flavor.

Do not forget to crumble the bacon. Smaller bacon pieces distribute through the salad better than whole strips or large chunks.

Final thoughts

Broccoli Pasta Salad is a dependable cold side dish with plenty of texture and flavor. The rotini makes it hearty, the broccoli keeps it crisp, and the bacon, Craisins, almonds, and creamy apple cider vinegar dressing make each bite interesting. It is a practical recipe for gatherings, weekday sides, and any meal where you want a pasta salad that feels fresh and satisfying. If you want a warm pasta main for the same menu, try creamy garlic butter shrimp pasta.

Broccoli Pasta Salad

Broccoli Pasta Salad is a creamy pasta salad with rotini, fresh broccoli, bacon, red onion, Craisins, sliced almonds, and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Equipment

Large bowl
Smaller bowl
Pot
Colander
Skillet

Ingredients

8 z. Rotini pasta (uncooked)
1 head fresh broccoli
6 slices of bacon
1 small red onion
3/4 cup Craisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup mayonaise
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cook rotini according to package instructions.
While water for rotini pasta is heating, cook bacon until golden brown on each side, and crumble.
Wash broccoli, and cut out center stem, then break or cut the florets into bit-sized pieces.
Chop, or thinly slice onion.
When pasta is done cooking, drain, and rinse with cold water.
Tass pasta, bacon, broccoli, onion, almonds, and Craisins together in a large bowl, and set aside for a minute.
In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
Drizzle over broccoli-pasta mixture, and toss to combine.
Serve.

Keyword broccoli bacon salad, broccoli pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, rotini pasta salad

Author
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Amelia Hart

Noura started Taste Pro out of frustration with recipes that looked great but didn’t work in real kitchens. Cooking has always been her way of finding calm, and she built this site to help others feel confident in their own kitchens. She now leads content and makes sure every recipe is tested, clear, and worth making again.