Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad

What a flavor combination! Tender bow tie pasta, red grapes and fresh broccoli are tossed together in a creamy and slightly tangy dressing. Broccoli grape pasta salad, topped with toasted pecans and crisp bacon is tasty and colorful. A perfect side dish, lunch entrée or even for dinner.

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Planning a New Year’s Eve dinner party? Broccoli grape pasta salad is a lovely side to grilled steak, baked chicken or a roast pork. It travels well too, if you’re taking something to a get-together.

Preparing broccoli grape pasta salad

Why toast the pecans?

Begin by toasting the pecans. Toasting them draws the natural oils to the surface, intensifying the rich nutty flavor creating a deeper color. Toasting the pecans adds a lot to the flavor of this salad and I love the crunch they add.

How to toast the pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread the pecans in a shallow pan in a single layer. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. I used my toaster oven for this.

Prepare bow tie pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the broccoli. Cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

Finely chop 1/3-cup red onion.

Slice 2-cups seedless grapes in half.

Making the dressing

In a large bowl, add the mayonnaise, sugar, red onion, 1/3-cup red wine vinegar and salt.

Whisk together until blended.

Add the broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes to the bowl. 

Toss gently until all the ingredients are coated with the dressing. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Just before serving, stir in the bacon and top with the toasted pecans.

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Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 (16-oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
• 1 pound fresh broccoli
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

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