Broccoli Grape Salad

This creamy broccoli grape pasta salad is easy to prep ahead for a convenient side dish with any meal!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword broccoli and grape salad, broccoli grape pasta salad, broccoli grape salad, broccoli salad with grapes

Prep Time 25

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 25

Servings people

Calories 586kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

1 ½ cups uncooked short pasta (such as wheels, rotini, penne, elbows, or farfalle)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 crown), chopped into bite-size pieces
4 green onions (green parts only), sliced
½ cup diced celery (about 1 large stalk)
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke's brand)
⅓ cup sugar (or reduce to ¼ cup for a less-sweet dressing)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans, toasted
8 slices bacon (about ½ lb.), cooked and crumbled

Boil the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until the pasta is cool. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, broccoli, green onions, celery, and grapes.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the mayonnaise dressing over the broccoli mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
Stir in the almonds and the bacon just before serving.

Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant and lightly browned. If it's easier, you can also toast the nuts in the microwave for about 2 minutes total, stirring halfway through. Keep a close eye on the nuts so that they don't burn.

Stir the nuts and the bacon into the salad just before serving so that they don't get soggy by sitting in the dressing for too long.

Do not cook the broccoli before making the salad. The delicious flavors in this salad come from the raw, simple ingredients — all uncooked. The creamy dressing really helps to tenderize the vegetables as the salad sits and the dressing soaks into the ingredients. That’s why this delicious salad is even better when made ahead or as leftovers the next day!

Do not use frozen and thawed broccoli in this recipe. The thawed frozen vegetables will not stay crisp and firm in the dressing but instead will get soggy. Raw, fresh vegetables are the way to go!
Recipe inspired by Southern Living magazine.