Greek Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad

This is one of the best combinations of ingredients in a pasta salad I’ve had in a while so I thought I’d share it. Pasta is a big weakness of mine, so when I mix in a bunch of veggies, I convince myself that it makes it really healthy! But this one truly is loaded with goodness. The broccoli is roasted and brings in a rich, smoky flavor. The feta, sundried tomatoes, and kalamata olives add a punch (and I know not everyone is an olive fan, but I think this would still be good without those). The red pepper and zucchini add crispness, and lots of fresh herbs give great flavor. The lemon brightens everything up and adds the finishing touch.

The recipe below makes a big batch – it uses the whole box of pasta, so it’s enough to take to a party, serve to a group, or, since it saves well, you can just eat it for lunch all week like I typically do!

The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s simple – you can roast the broccoli and cook the pasta while you’re prepping everything else, and when those are finished, you just toss it all together!

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Greek Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad

Course Side Dish

Cuisine greek

Keyword pasta salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli, roughly chopped into florets
• 3+ tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound pasta (I used Gemelli here, but any type works)
• 1 jar (8 ounces) sundried tomatoes in oil
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced in half moons
• 1 red bell pepper, large diced
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 8 ounces feta cheese, cubed
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)
• Kosher salt and pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. 2. On a large baking sheet, toss together the broccoli, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes.

3. 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

4. 4. While the pasta is still warm, add the roasted broccoli, sundried tomatoes—plus the oil in the jar—olives and 3 tablespoons of the olive brine, the zucchini, red pepper, cucumber, oregano, basil, dill, lemon juice and lemon zest. Toss until well combined and the pasta is coated in oil. I always think more oil is needed so just keep adding it until it’s how you like it! Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add the feta and gently toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• This can be made a day in advance.

• If you are using the pine nuts, it would be nice to lightly toast those before adding them in.

Bon Appétit!
xx — BB