Blueberry and Broccoli Pasta Salad with a tangy Lemon Buttermilk Dressing ~ spring forward with this colorful and healthy pasta salad made with gluten free pasta, lots of fruits and veggies, and an extra dose of crunch!
This salad was fun to fun to invent, and so easy to put together once I had all the flavors figured out., but honestly, when I told my husband I was making a salad with blueberries and broccoli he screwed up his face in the most annoying way. If you’re not sure about blueberries and broccoli just trust me ~ the first bite of this wonderful salad will convince you. It all starts with a box of naturally gluten free pasta made with chickpeas!
After cooking and draining, I toss the pasta with some of my lemony buttermilk dressing ~ it keeps the pasta from sticking together, and will also soak in a bit while I prep my other ingredients. This salad has an unusual mix of fresh veggies and fruit, along with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. The end result is really wonderful, I love the contrast between the sweet and savory flavors
This salad is sophisticated enough for an adult palate, but also a great kid-pleaser ~ those juicy blueberries and crunchy apples can help introduce the joys of broccoli to your picky eaters,
You can make this healthy pasta salad recipe in the morning, it will hold up fine in the refrigerator. I like to refresh it with a little more dressing just before serving. The dressing is a tangy mixture of lemon juice, poppy seeds, buttermilk, and mayo…not as thick as most mayonnaise based dressings and so delicious I could eat it with a spoon! But if you’re a mayo lover, you might also try a classic salad cream dressing with this recipe.
Why are smart carbs so important?
So many of the carbs we consume in our Western diet are empty, overly processed carbohydrates like white bread and white rice. They’re wreaking havoc with our bodies and leading to all sorts of health problems like obesity and diabetes. But I love carbs, and I’m not about to do with out them, so I try to replace the empty ones with better choices. Good carbs, or smart carbs, are foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans. You can instantly improve your diet by simply switching out refined flour pasta with this chickpea and lentil pasta, I love simple solutions like this!
The flavors in this salad work together so well, I hope you give it a try, I have a hunch it’ll become a family favorite. And if you have little ones who would live on pasta if they had their way, this is a really smart choice for them. My youngest daughter wanted ‘buttery pasta’ 24/7, I wish chickpea pasta had been around for me then 🙂
More pasta salads!
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Blueberry Broccoli Pasta Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227g) Spiral Pasta, made from chickpeas or whole grains.
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup diced apples, tossed with lemon juice to prevent browning
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp buttermilk
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking. Put in a bowl and drizzle with some of the dressing, toss gently.
- Put the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with a tablespoon of water and microwave for 90 seconds. Drain.
- You can assemble the salad in two ways ~ You can arrange the ingredients on top of the pasta, and then dress and toss at the table, or you can mix everything together, it’s your call.
- Add just enough dressing to moisten the salad without drowning it, you can always add more later.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Notes:
- If you like, add some cheese to this salad, I think mild cheddar, Gouda, or Monterey Jack would work well, and cut it in a small dice.
- You can incorporate Chickapea pasta into any of your favorite pasta recipes, like my Israeli Pasta Salad, or my Pasta Salad with Tuna.
- If you can’t find Chickapea pasta at your local store, you can find it on Amazon, HERE.
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I never would have thought of these flavor combinations! They sound and look absolutely beautiful!
I LOVE how much protein is in this pasta – and honestly broccoli is SO delicious in any salad! It adds this whole other level of crunch that is such a fantastic textural element. And the lemon buttermilk dressing sounds divine! Such a beautiful recipe Sue!
Thanks Taylor, I was really happy with how this came out, I can’t wait to make it again!
It has been a mission of mine to incorporate smarter carbs into our diet. Chickpea pasta is something that I had not yet tried, and this salad sounds not only absolutely FAB, but very different from the typical (boring) pasta salad!
Thanks Michelle, I think you’ll love the pasta, and the combo of broccoli and blueberries is such a nice change from the same old stuff!
Haven’t heard of that pasta brand — I’ll have to check it out. And make this with it! Gorgeous and tasty looking dish — and perfect for this time of the year. Well, in another week or two — after a really warm winter, we had snow this week! But spring really is just around the corner, and this is the sort of food I’ll be craving. Thanks!
We’re already barreling ahead to summer here in LA, makes me want some snow!
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a prettier pasta salad!! I am HUGE into GF options for things like pasta and bread, and I can’t believe I’ve never tried this pasta…I need to fix that!
Thanks so much Faith <3
OMG This is so brilliant! I need to get my hands on this chickpea pasta (I am a sucker for chickpeas!)
I love chickpeas, too, in any form (hello hummus) but I never knew you could make pasta out of them, it’s brilliant!
What a beautiful salad! I would definitely eat chickpea pasta in a salad like this! I’m sure it’s much easier to get kids to eat chickpeas in pasta form rather than chickpea form! Your definitely right about healthy carbs! It’s important to have complex carbs because that’s what fuels your brain! Great, healthy recipe!
It makes so much sense, doesn’t it? Thanks for stopping by Emily 🙂
I love the idea of getting smart carbs and nutrients right there in your pasta! I’ll definitely have to check Chickapea out. And that salad sounds fun to try for spring!
I really wish I’d has it when my kids were young, it would have been a lifesaver!
This looks so colourful and tasty, and more importantly healthy! A great lunch recipe
Such a FUN pasta salad! Have never thought of using blueberry and broccoli together and I love the idea, Sue.
I know, right? It’s such great discovery, I’m going to play with it all spring and summer!