Broccoli Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
This Broccoli Pasta Salad is fresh, colorful, and tossed in a creamy lemon tahini dressing. With broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and gluten-free pasta, it’s light yet filling. Beginner-friendly, make-ahead, and perfect for picnics, lunches, or easy sides your whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 3 cups small broccoli florets
- 1 cup cut green beans
- 2 cups uncooked gluten-free fusilli pasta
- 1 small zucchini thinly sliced into half moons
- 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, and water until smooth.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add broccoli and green beans, blanch for 1–2 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer to ice water, cool, and drain well.
- In the same pot, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss until evenly coated.
- Season with salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice if desired.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts and chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
For best results, toast pine nuts lightly before adding for a deeper flavor. To vary your Broccoli Pasta Salad, swap pine nuts for sunflower seeds or add feta for a Mediterranean twist.
Nutrition
Per serving (approximate): 320 calories, 14g fat, 40g carbs, 9g protein, 6g fiber, 320mg sodium.
Per serving (approximate): 320 calories, 14g fat, 40g carbs, 9g protein, 6g fiber, 320mg sodium.