Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Salad (With Bacon)
This fresh and easy Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Salad is packed with crisp vegetables, fresh cheddar, and tossed with a simple homemade mayonnaise dressing. Once all the ingredients are mixed, refrigerate for a few hours or consume right away!
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta, rotini, or similar
- 5-6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup green peas, frozen or canned
- 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup tri-color bell peppers, diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- ½ cup Cheddar Mix or Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
- 6 cherry or plum tomatoes, cut in half
Salad Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon parmesan, grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.8 oz pasta
- Blanch the broccoli. Fill a medium saucepan/pot with water, enough to cover the broccoli. Add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and lower the broccoli into the water. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes; remove the florets with kitchen tongs and place them into ice-cold water. Once cooled, drain and pat dry with a towel. Set aside.1 cup broccoli florets
- Dressing. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, sour cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper.¾ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon sour cream or Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoon parmesan, salt and black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon apple cider or white wine vinegar
- Once the pasta is cooked and drained well, place it in a large bowl.
- Pour in the dressing, and add the veggies and cheddar. Stir well.½ cup green peas, 1 cup tri-color bell peppers, ½ small red onion, ½ cup Cheddar Mix or Colby Jack Cheese, 6 cherry or plum tomatoes
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Before serving, add crumbled bacon, stir, and serve immediately! Enjoy!5-6 bacon slices
Notes
- To Store. If you have leftovers, pop them into an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing. This broccoli salad is not good to freeze, as it becomes mushy when it thaws.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 9gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 334mgPotassium: 206mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 225IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
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