Description
A vibrant and beginner-friendly fall pasta salad packed with seasonal veggies, dried cranberries, and pecans, tossed in a tangy maple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until just past al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with broccoli, grated carrots, diced red onion, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Toss gently.
- In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and toss until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- If the salad seems dry after sitting, add a splash of olive oil and vinegar before serving.
- To make it ahead of time, store the pasta and vinaigrette separately, and combine one hour before serving.
- Walnuts can replace pecans; raisins or dried apricots can replace cranberries.
- To reduce onion sharpness, soak diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 188mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg