Greek Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad
A fresh-flavored Greek pasta salad with roasted broccoli, fresh, crunchy vegetables, loads of fresh herbs, salty olives, and feta, all tossed together in a tangy vinaigrette.
I adapted a Greek lemon roasted broccoli pasta salad recipe I found on Half Baked Harvest to work with what I had on hand. The briny, tangy vinaigrette tossed in the warm pasta really helped make it flavorful. I loved the contrast & flavor combination of the smoky, charred broccoli with the fresh, raw veggies, toasted pine nuts, and tangy sundried tomatoes and feta cheese. We all thought this easy Greek pasta salad recipe was packed with flavor and paired nicely with some Greek chicken (recipe to come), an ultimate chopped kale Caesar salad, and some crusty bread with roasted garlic.
Greek Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad
Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato oil (from the jar of sundried tomatoes)
- 3 tbsp olive brine (from the jar of the kalamata olives)
- Juice from 1 large lemon, or more, to taste
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely grated
- Honey, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Broccoli:
- 1 crown of broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Juice from ½ lemon
Pasta Salad:
- 8 oz fusselli, cooked in well-salted water, according to the package instructions (or pasta of choice)
- 1-2 Persian cucumbers, sliced thinly into half-moons
- ½ zucchini, sliced thinly into half-moons
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- Feta cheese, crumbles or cubes, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
How to Make a Greek Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad
Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, sundried tomato oil, olive brine, lemon juice, grated garlic, honey, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
Roast the broccoli by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
Add the broccoli florets to the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, tossing to coat evenly.
Place in the oven to roast for 15 minutes, or until slightly charred but still a bit crisp, tossing halfway through cooking.
Remove from the oven and drizzle evenly with the fresh lemon juice, toss to coat, and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and pour it into a large bowl.
Drizzle half of the well-shaken vinaigrette over the warm pasta.
Add the sundried tomatoes and olives and toss to coat evenly. Set aside to come to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the pasta salad when the pasta and broccoli have cooled. Add in the raw Persian cucumbers, zucchini, bell pepper, toasted pine nuts, fresh oregano, basil, and dill.
Drizzle in the remaining well-shaken vinaigrette and toss the salad to coat evenly.
Add the feta cheese and serve. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, if needed.
Serve and enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes
- 3 tbsp olive brine from the jar of the kalamata olives
- Juice from 1 large lemon or more, to taste
- 1 large clove of garlic finely grated
- Honey to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Broccoli:
- 1 crown of broccoli cut into small florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Juice from ½ lemon
Pasta Salad:
- 8 oz fusselli cooked in well-salted water, according to the package instructions (or pasta of choice)
- 1-2 Persian cucumbers sliced thinly into half-moons
- ½ zucchini sliced thinly into half-moons
- ½ red bell pepper sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano chopped finely
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves chopped finely
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped finely
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- Feta cheese crumbles or cubes, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, sundried tomato oil, olive brine, lemon juice, grated garlic, honey, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
- Roast the broccoli by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
- Add the broccoli florets to the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, tossing to coat evenly.
- Place in the oven to roast for 15 minutes, or until slightly charred but still a bit crisp, tossing halfway through cooking.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle evenly with the fresh lemon juice, toss to coat, and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and pour it into a large bowl.
- Drizzle half of the well-shaken vinaigrette over the warm pasta.
- Add the sundried tomatoes and olives and toss to coat evenly. Set aside to come to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the pasta salad when the pasta and broccoli have cooled. Add in the raw Persian cucumbers, zucchini, bell pepper, toasted pine nuts, fresh oregano, basil, and dill.
- Finish the salad by drizzling the remaining well-shaken vinaigrette and tossing to coat evenly.
- Add the feta cheese. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy.
