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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YUM! Looks like something I’d pay $12.99 a pound for at whole foods ( I say that as a compliment!). Got to try this one.
I’m a carb girl so this is right up my alley. I could eat this all the live long day. It’s totally stunning too!
What a beautiful salad Sue! Love all the fruits and broccoli combination. And that poppy seed dressing sounds amazing!
Super recipe – a must try for us!
Thanks
I love Chickapea Pasta! And I love this blueberry and broccoli pasta salad you’ve created! Can’t wait to try! Looks so healthy and delicious!
Wow! This looks so delicious. I saw the broccoli and blueberries and knew instantly I would LOVE this salad. I love fruit with salads and savory meals. This is just so spring. And that pasta! Gets me every time.
I just can’t get over this salad. It’s so pretty! I love that you’ve used Chickapea Pasta, too. We’re huge fans of it!
This salad is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t wait to make it! I happen to have a box of Chickapea pasta spirals in my pantry so I know what to make with it now! Love the colors, the flavors and that dressing – wow! Great post!!!
I was going to ask about the texture but I see you already answered that. OK — I’m sold. Never heard of this before but will definitely give it a try. Thanks!
This part of spring forward makes up for having to change the clocks to spring forward. This salad looks fantastic! I wish I had one in front of me right now.
Thanks Deb, I hope you try it, I think you’ll love how it all comes together…
It’s really amazing how the poppy seed dressing transforms the look and level of the veggies and berries! Well done.
What is it about poppy seed dressing, it makes everything it touches more appetizing, I agree!