Looking for a delicious Broccoli pasta salad recipe? Whether you need a new recipe for a picnic or get together or just want a healthy pasta salad to serve with lunch or dinner, you are going to love this Savory Apple & Broccoli Pasta Salad.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword broccoli pasta salad
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 790kcal
Ingredients
1head of Broccoli - preparedinstructions below
16ouncepackage of Fettuccine - broken into 2 inch pieces
1Honey Crisp Apple - washed and chopped
2large carrots - peeled and grated
4stalks of celery - washed and sliced
1small red onion - peeled and chopped
1cupof golden raisins
½cupof green onions
OPTIONAL - 12 strips of bacon - cooked and crumbled
FOR THE DRESSING:
1cupof Hellmann's Mayonnaise
¾cupof sugar
5Tablespoonsof Rice wine vinegar
1Tablespoonof fresh squeezed lemon juice
1teaspoonof minced garlic
⅛teaspoonof salt
⅛teaspoonof pepper
Instructions
With a paring knife, cut the Broccoli crown (that's the fluffy looking bright green part on top) away from the stem. Set stem aside. Pull the crown florets apart, and then cut the small florets away from the small stems that are holding them, and you should end up with bite-size florets. Take the large stem you set aside and cut both ends off and discard. Slice the remaining stem into bite-size pieces, and put all the Broccoli, stems and floret pieces, in a colander, and thoroughly wash under cold running water until clean. Let drain in a colander. In a medium stock pot filled ¾ full of hot water, bring the water to a boil, adding a little olive oil or butter and a pinch of salt to the water.
Break the Fettuccine into 2-inch pieces, and place in boiling water. Turn the heat to low, and cook for 6 minutes, or until pasta is Al Dente (done, but still a little firm). When Fettuccine is cooked, remove from water with a slotted spoon, or pasta strainer, to a dish, and place the Broccoli in the pasta water. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn down the heat to low, and cook two minutes. Drain broccoli in the colander, and set aside to cool. While the Fettuccine and broccoli are cooling, wash and peel the carrots, and either grate them on a grater or shred them in the food processor. Wash and slice the celery. Peel and chop the red onion, and green onions.
Place the cooled, drained broccoli and the Fettuccine in a serving dish, and add the carrot, celery, and red and green onion, and place dish in the refrigerator. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, with a whisk, add the Hellmann's Mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and whisk all together until well blended, and place in the refrigerator. Wash and chop the apple, and add to the salad. Immediately pour the dressing over the salad, and add the raisins, and toss all ingredients together to coat the pasta and vegetables in the dressing. Place the salad back in the refrigerator. (OPTIONAL: Cook the bacon, and drain on paper towels. When bacon has cooled, and right before serving the salad, crumble the bacon over the top of the salad). Serve as a side dish, on a buffet, or as a starter in place of lettuce salad. Enjoy!
Notes
If possible, add ingredients in the order the recipe states. Make sure you add the Apple last, and pour the dressing immediately on the salad, because the dressing contains lemon juice which helps to keep the apple from turning brown. All apples turn brown after cutting or chopping, but lemon juice will help to retain the natural apple color.