A zesty no-mayo tahini dressing coats this colorful broccoli pasta salad dish, which is brimming with fresh vegetables. I love summer picnics!
Spaghetti with Broccoli
This spaghetti salad is unlike any other. “Omg, this is the best pasta salad!” said Jack, who isn’t exactly a conventional pasta salad enthusiast. It’s low in mayonnaise, which makes it healthier, and it’s full with vegetables, unlike other pasta salads. I thought you may be in need of a portable, shelf-stable salad for Memorial Day, because it is approaching quickly. This one, with its smooth tahini dressing, is ideal for that purpose.
What You Need to Make a Broccoli Pasta Salad
The Healthiest Way to Prepare Pasta Salad!
Veggies, please! The spiralized zucchini (or thinly sliced zucchini) gives this broccoli pasta salad a high vegetable-to-pasta ratio. The zucchini gives the salad a pasta-like texture and reduces the number of noodles required to make it pleasant. In addition, the sun-dried tomatoes and basil provide a burst of fresh and savory flavor, while the blanched broccoli and crisp green beans give texture.
Create a flavorful vinaigrette. My take on the classic pasta salad dressing—a creamy tahini sauce with lemon, olive oil, garlic, and a hint of Dijon—replaces the mayo-based dressing. This vegan dressing retains its vibrant, zesty taste without the use of any animal products.
Allow for those with special dietary needs. I used gluten-free fusilli since, well, it seems like everyone these days has a dietary constraint. So, there’s no animal products or gluten in this salad. A tasty meal that everyone can savor is always welcome at parties, in my opinion. Even if this isn’t an issue for you, feel free to use ordinary pasta.
Cook up a storm! Make extra of this salad during the weekend and you’ll have nutritious lunches for the whole week. It stores well for many days.
There are so many healthy ingredients in this salad, including:
This salad gets its greens and crunch from blanched broccoli and green beans.
No pasta salad would be complete without noodles, so I opted for a colorful fusilli variety.
Adding spiralized zucchini as extra “noodles” to this salad was a no-brainer as I was aiming for a high vegetable to pasta ratio!
I like the vibrant red color and the fresh, acidic, umami taste of cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.
Basil—In the summer, who doesn’t like basil? It brings a pleasant, light taste to this.
Add some crunch with pine nuts!
The vegan pasta salad isn’t complete without the creamy tahini dressing, which adds brightness and acidity.
The rainbow of vibrant vegetables is very delightful.
Tips for Serving Broccoli Pasta Salad
I said earlier that this pasta salad is best made in advance, so it would be great to bring to a potluck. These BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches, my go-to veggie burger, black bean burger, portobello mushroom dogs, or grilled avocado are other vegetarian main dishes that might go well with it!
As a nutritious main meal, it would be perfect for packing in separate containers for lunches on the go! My top advice for packing lunches is in this article.
Salads made with nutritious broccoli and pasta
If you’re a fan of this spaghetti salad with broccoli…
If you like salads, try these more recipes: couscous salad, broccoli salad, pasta salad, and potato salad.
Salad with Pasta, Tahini and Broccoli
Time required for preparation: thirty minutes
Cook for 10 minutes.
Forty minutes in total
Perfect for summer picnics, this broccoli pasta salad has a zesty vegan tahini sauce instead of mayo.
Jeanine Donofrio is the author.
Sort of recipe: Salad
Used for: Ingredients: 4–6
- Flours from three cups of little broccoli
- 1 cup of sliced green beans
- 2 cups of gluten-free fusilli pasta, uncooked
- 1. Thinly slice and half-moon (or spiralize) one small zucchini.
- cherry tomatoes, cut, 1 cup
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed with oil, roughly chopped
- Thinly slice eight fresh basil leaves.
- pine nuts, 1/4 cup
- seasoned with sea salt and pepper, just ground.
Dressing
- Three tablespoons of olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1/3 cup of tahini
- Juice from three teaspoons of fresh lemons; save extra for finishing squeezes.
- 2-Tbsps of Vinho blanco
- 1/2 clove of minced garlic
- 30 milliliters of Dijon mustard
- half a teaspoon of maple syrup
- Sea salt, half a teaspoon
- 1/3 cup of water
Instructions
Combine the olive oil, tahini, water, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and mustard. Put aside.
Get a big basin of cold water and a big kettle of boiling water with salt. Boil some water and blanch some broccoli and green beans for a minute or two, until they are soft but still quite green. Take it out and drop it into the freezing water right away to halt the cooking process. Submerge in the cold water for at least 15 seconds to chill down to room temperature. After that, take a kitchen towel and set it aside to dry.
Pasta should be cooked al dente in a big pot of boiling water that has been salted according to the package directions. Run cold water over the drain and rinse.
Mixed together in a big basin are the spaghetti, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, and basil. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if you want, to taste. Before chilling for 15 minutes, sprinkle pine nuts on top. Keeps for up to two days in the fridge.
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