Easy Broccolini and Beans Pasta Salad Recipe
Ready in 30 minutes, this is a balanced pasta salad that hits all the right umami notes for a dinner idea that's packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Roasted Broccolini
- 1 pound broccolini
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salad Base Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccoli greens stems removed and leaves chopped
- ½ lemon + 1 tablespoon olive oil to tenderize broccoli leaves
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons chopped Sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
Crispy Breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup bread crumbs crisped up with olive oil and
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Parmesan Dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
Instructions
Roast Broccolini
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and trim broccolini to remove hardy stems and arrange evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss together to coat broccolini in oil and seasonings. Roast for 20 minutes, until edges are slightly charred and veggies are soft.
- Once the broccolini is roasted and edges are slightly crisp, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before giving the broccolini a rough chop. Add broccolini to the large bowl with the tenderized broccoli leaves. (see below for step to tenderize broccoli leaves)
Cook Pasta and Prep Salad Greens
- While the broccolini roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook pasta until al dente, about 6 or 7 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Prep the broccoli greens but removing the leaves from the stems and giving the leaves a good rinse. Dry the leaves and use a sharp knife to roughly chop the leaves into bit size pieces. Add broccoli leaves to a large bowl. Squeeze out the juice of half a lemon over the broccoli greens and drizzle a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the greens. Massage the greens to begin tenderizing the leaves. Allow the broccoli greens to sit and marinate in the lemon juice and olive oil while preparing the salad dressing and remaining ingredients.
Prep Salad Dressing
- Prep the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), salt and pepper, and olive oil together until well emulsified. Add in the grated parmesan and whisk together. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set dressing to the side.
Toast Breadcrumbs
- Toast breadcrumbs in a small skillet for about 3 to 5 minutes with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and all the dried seasonings. Toast until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, you can toast up Italian seasoned bread crumbs if you have those on hand instead. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Salad Assembly
- Assemble the remaining salad ingredients by adding in the cannellini beans, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and cooked orzo pasta to bowl with the roasted broccolini and tenderized greens. Add half the toasted breadcrumbs and using salad tongs begin tossing salad ingredients to combine. Add in salad dressing and give it another toss before portioning salad in bowls and garnishing with more crispy breadcrumbs and grated parmesan, if desired.
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