Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

Make Broccoli Salad with farfalle, bacon, grapes, and a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing for a bright, crunchy side.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Yield4

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Make the creamy dressing

Whisk together the mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, sugar, and dried thyme in a small bowl until smooth and slightly glossy; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Keep the dressing chilled and set it aside in the bowl — it should be thick enough to gently coat ingredients, with a silky sheen and tiny flecks of thyme visible in the emulsion.

Step 2: Cook and drain the pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the farfalle until al dente according to package directions; drain thoroughly and spread briefly on a tray to let excess steam escape so the pasta remains plump and not waterlogged. Allow the cooked bows to cool slightly so they’ll better absorb the dressing without becoming soggy.


Step 3: Crisp the bacon and prep the produce

In a hot skillet render the diced bacon until deeply browned and crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool so it stays crunchy when folded into the salad. While the bacon cools, trim the broccoli into small florets and finely chop a portion for extra texture, halve the seedless red grapes, dice the red onion finely, and coarsely chop the pecans — everything should be ready to fold together at the same temperature for even texture contrasts.

Step 4: Combine and serve immediately

In a roomy wooden mixing bowl, toss the cooled farfalle, crispy bacon pieces, broccoli florets, halved grapes, diced red onion, and chopped pecans with the yogurt-mayonnaise dressing until every component is lightly and evenly coated. Serve immediately from the same wooden bowl so the textures remain crisp and the dressing stays glossy; the finished salad should read as bright, creamy, crunchy and juicy all at once.


Notes