When temperatures are hot, pasta salads thrill with their medley of textures and cool flavors. This one is kid-tested and they’ll even eat the broccoli because it’s still got crunch. A palate-pleaser for the hottest days of summer, but really anytime. Because it makes a whole lot and it’s totally delicious.
Easy Pasta and Broccoli Salad
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. frozen broccoli florets
- 1 lb. rotelli or fusilli
- 1 lb. Muenster cheese, cubed
- 1 lb. can cubed tomatoes
- ¾ olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ ground fennel seed
Method:
- Place colander in sink. Add frozen broccoli.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Pour pasta over broccoli in colander. Shake colander to drain. Place drained pasta and broccoli in large serving bowl.
- Add cubed cheese and cubed tomatoes with their liquid to pasta and broccoli.
- Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over contents of serving bowl. Toss to combine. Let sit for up to three hours.
- Taste pasta salad for seasoning and serve. (Any leftover salad may be refrigerated for later use.)