Broccoli, Bacon and Red Grape Pasta Salad Recipe

I've had some major salad cravings lately. Potato salad, lettuce salad, pasta salad... you name it! 

This salad definitely helped curb some of those cravings! I'm a lover of all things sweet and salty and this recipe has that perfect combo.

Chunks of crispy broccoli, sweet grapes, salty bacon and toasty pecans all mixed with some pasta and a sweet, tangy sauce. Heaven, I tell ya. I seriously ate half of it for dinner one evening, and the rest for lunch the next day. I still wanted more. Be smarter than me, make a double batch. You won't regret it!



 

Tomorrow will be 3 whole months in our new Habitat house!! We are loving every minute of home ownership so far, except for shoveling the 20,000 feet of snow we got this winter! Luckily I have some awesome neighbors. The older gentleman 2 houses down always blows my snow for me. I have a corner lot with 2 LONG sidewalks, so that is much appreciated! There's also an older lady who lives a couple more houses down and she brought my daughter and I some homemade butterscotch chip cookies today. Bless their hearts! Great home and great neighbors. Makes me smile! :)

Here's her lovely cookies!



Broccoli, Bacon and Red Grape Pasta Salad
4-5 servings

What you need:
1/2 pound bowtie pasta
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup mayo
2-3 tablespoons sugar (I used 3, but start with 2 and add more as needed)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets
4 strips crispy bacon, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
black pepper and salt if needed

Directions:
Cook pasta to al dente. Rinse with cold water and drain.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In large bowl, whisk together the mayo, sugar, and red wine vinegar until smooth. Add pasta, pecans, broccoli, bacon, onion, grapes and parsley. Stir until combined. Add pepper and salt, as needed. Refrigerate until serving. 

Note: If making this salad ahead of time, you may need to mix another batch of sauce and stir in when serving. Otherwise, it may be dry from the noodles absorbing the sauce. 



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On the blog... one year ago: Loaded Chicken & Bacon Tator Tots



Two years ago: Buttery Garlic Bread


This recipe is featured at: The Country Cook

This recipe is shared at these blogs: Love Bakes Good CakesThe Best Blog RecipesA Dash of Sanity, The Better BakerThis Gal CooksFlour Me with Love, Memories by the MileInside BruCrew LifeKathe with an EFeeding Big, Simple Living and Eating,

Comments

  1. What a great Salad Sheena! I will try this in the summer time for BBQ's! Yum!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah!! It would be a great addition to any BBQ! Enjoy!!

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  2. That is a LOVELY salad, Sheena! Look beautiful!

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  3. I love the sweet salty comb too :) and salads are so YUM!

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    1. They are yum! One of my favorite things about spring and summer BBQ's! Salads! :)

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  4. This looks delicious Sheena! Perfect for the upcoming summer months.....

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    1. Thanks, Mary Ellen!! I am so excited about making tons of salads this year! :)

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  5. I love the look of this salad, pinned!

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  6. This looks delicious Sheena! I love the sweet grapes with the savory bacon!

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  7. yum! that sounds like a delicious flavor combination!

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  8. Pasta salads are so tasty and versatile

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  9. I love bowtie pasta and pasta salad in general. Though I would have to substitute something for the mayo, I just can't do mayo! Going to have to try it though!

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    1. Let me know what you substitute and how it turns out! :)

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    2. I'm thinking Greek yogurt as I've used it in egg salad as a substitute for mayo. I'll let you know when I get a chance to try it. Things are a bit crazy around my house. :)

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  10. Sheena, this pasta salad looks wonderful. I haven't ever had grapes in a pasta salad, but it sounds really good! And pecans? Oh, my- absolutely perfect! :)

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  11. Such a great salad, Sheena! I'm also wishing that I had a neighbor as nice as yours to help with snow removal!

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  12. Sheena this looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!

    Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.

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  13. This looks amazing and can't wait to make it, pinned!

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  14. This looks so good. I'm in the mood for all those too. Pinned for later!

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  15. What a cool use of broccoli, and I love any salads that make use of fruit as well since I have a bit of a sweet tooth!

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  16. G'day! Your salad looks very refreshing healthy! I want to try some now!
    Cheers! Joanne
    http://whatsonthelist.net

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  17. Your salad looks delicious. I love sweet and salty , too! I'm pinning it will be making this at a later time I 'm always going through that mood where all I want is salads . Thanks for sharing!!
    Coming over from SITS.

    Kim

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  18. that looks great! stopping by from SITS linkup! Hope you stop by my blog :)

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  19. Great recipe, pinned and stumbled

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  20. Love this salad! Thanks for sharing with us at MM this week - pinning!

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  21. I keep clicking on your recipes on food parties... I would love it if you would bring this healthy dish by foodie friday today... and any others you like to share: http://www.simplelivingeating.com/

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  22. What a great combination and love the bacon for the saltiness. Thanks for sharing on Recipe Roundup.

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