This Mediterranean broccoli pasta salad is fresh, colorful, and packed with bold flavor—basically everything you want in an easy, make-ahead dish. Crunchy broccoli, tender pasta, marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and salty feta all come together in a light lemon-oregano dressing that keeps things bright and refreshing, not heavy.
It’s the kind of recipe that works for just about anything—potlucks, gatherings, lunches for the week, or quick dinners when you want something simple but satisfying. This pasta salad holds up beautifully in the fridge and tastes even better after the flavors have had time to mingle. If you’re looking for a no-stress, Mediterranean-inspired salad that everyone will love, this one’s a keeper.
Ingredients needed:
For the salad:
- short pasta of choice (I used fusilli)
- broccoli florets
- marinated artichoke hearts
- Kalamata olives
- sun-dried tomatoes
- red onion
- pine nuts
- crumbled feta cheese
- parsley, for garnish
For the dressing:
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- maple syrup or honey
- dried oregano
- salt, or to taste
- black pepper
How to make broccoli pasta salad:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to your package directions.
During the last minute of cooking, add broccoli florets to blanch them. Drain everything and rinse under cold water to cool.
Add the cooled pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion.
Prepare the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss gently to coat.
Fold in feta and sprinkle pine nuts on top.
Garnish with chopped parsley and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
The salad stores well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. As it chills, the pasta may absorb some of the dressing. If that’s the case, add some olive oil or lemon juice before serving.
More salad recipes to try:
- Autumn Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Tabbouleh
- Simple Greek Salad
- Pasta Salad with Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Creamy Roasted Garlic Tahini Dressing
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Strainer/Colander
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowls
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 oz short pasta of choice (I used fusilli)
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into small pieces
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives halved
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red onion very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup
crumbled feta cheese
Fresh chopped parsley
for garnish
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to your package directions. During the last minute of cooking, add broccoli florets to blanch them. Drain everything and rinse under cold water to cool.
- Add the cooled pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss gently to coat.
- Fold in feta and sprinkle pine nuts on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use whatever short pasta you have on hand – most shapes work well in this salad. Fusilli, rotini, farfalle, or penne are all good choices.
- For oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drain them well and pat dry to keep the salad from becoming oily. If you are using dry ones, soak them in warm water for 10–15 minutes to soften, then drain and pat dry.
- Don’t skip toasting the pine nuts. It brings out their flavor and adds a nice crunch.
- The salad stores well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. As it chills, the pasta may absorb some of the dressing. If that’s the case, add some olive oil or lemon juice before serving.
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