Easy vegetarian gluten-free bowtie pasta salad made with broccoli, peppers and feta. Toss with a quick 5-ingredient Italian dressing for a quick healthy meal! It is a full balanced meal with tons of vegetables, carbs and protein from the feta cheese, and there is a 44-second video below to show you how simple it is.
My mom introduced me to this easy pasta salad recipe growing up. Now, being a mama it has been passed down and I make this for my family. For more easy vegetarian pasta, try my cold pasta salad with Italian dressing, cilantro basil pesto pasta and one-pan broccoli pasta.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 14 minutes (the pasta)
- ⏳ Total Time: 24 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 509kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Tangy Dijon Italian dressing over crunchy broccoli, sweet peppers, briny olives and salty feta
- ✋ Difficulty: Boil the pasta, chop, toss. Cups to ounces are in my ounces in a cup guide.
Quick Answer
Cook 3 cups of gluten-free bowtie pasta according to the package, then toss it in a large bowl with chopped broccoli, shredded carrots, diced yellow peppers, halved grape tomatoes, diced olives, frozen peas, diced white onion and feta. Whisk ¾ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, add ½ cup of the dressing, mix to coat and serve lukewarm or cold.
Watch How to Make It
Watch the short video on how to make broccoli and feta bowtie pasta salad:
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Watch How to Make It
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Expert Tips
- Serving Ideas
- Bowtie Pasta Salad FAQs
- More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
- Bowtie Pasta Salad With Broccoli and Feta (Gluten-Free + Video)
- Watch the short video on how to make broccoli and feta bowtie pasta salad:
Chase is a super picky eater and Curren eats any and everything. Only now he is starting to watch his older brothers picky eating habits. There are constant words coming out of my mouth saying "Chase, be a good example, your brother is watching." Which is then followed by, "Please eat that and show him how to be a good healthy eater like you." Luckily it works! Sometimes:-)
With this fun bowtie pasta salad recipe, kids can pick out the yummy vegetables and flavors they prefer! I think the flavors all compliment each other so I prefer giant bites of bowtie pasta salad with every piece of broccoli, tomatoes, peppers and cheese that can fit on the fork!
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Homemade dressing beats the bottle. When my mom used to make this cold pasta salad she used store bought Italian dressing for convenience. Homemade Italian dressing is so quick and easy to make so I have added our own simple 5-ingredient recipe.
- Dijon holds the dressing together. Two tablespoons of mustard emulsify the olive oil and red wine vinegar so the dressing clings to the pasta instead of pooling.
- Half the dressing, then taste. Add ½ cup, mix well, and season to taste; the rest keeps in the refrigerator for roasted vegetables and green salads.
- Frozen peas thaw in the bowl. Tossed with warm pasta they thaw on their own and stay bright green.
- It only gets better in the fridge. Usually I make it ahead of time and leave it set in the refrigerator all day. When it is time for dinner this delicious one dish meal is ready to serve with zero "dinner hour" work to be done except setting the table!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A full balanced meal with tons of vegetables, carbs and protein from the feta cheese.
- Picky eaters just love this! Kids can pick out the yummy vegetables and flavors they prefer.
- Make-ahead potluck food. This is a sure crowd-pleaser at your next potluck or picnic. Serve it as an appetizer or main dish!
- Gluten-free and vegetarian with gluten-free bowtie noodles.
- Party spread ready. Set it next to easy baked beans and a healthy snacks platter for a Fourth of July table.
Key Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free bowtie (farfalle) pasta noodles - I usually can find gluten free bowtie pasta noodles here or use any little noodles you prefer.
- 1 ¼ cups chopped broccoli, ½ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup diced yellow peppers - the crunch.
- ½ to 1 cup halved grape tomatoes, ¼ cup diced olives, ½ cup frozen peas, ¼ cup diced white onion - color and bite.
- ½ cup feta - the protein and the salt.
- Italian dressing: ¾ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, pink Himalayan salt and black pepper. The printable version is in my homemade Italian dressing recipe.
Full recipe ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Any vegetables can be used. Mix up the recipe with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and snap peas.
- Extra protein - cannellini and garbanzo beans work well too, like in my chickpea corn tomato salad.
- Dairy-free - leave out the feta or use a vegan feta.
- Caprese style - swap the feta for mozzarella pearls and basil, like my tomato cucumber mozzarella salad.
- Grain swap - the dressing is also great on my roasted vegetable quinoa salad.
How to Make Bowtie Pasta Salad
1Make the dressing. Combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper together. Mix well and set aside.
2Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile chop and prepare the vegetables.
3Toss. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients together. Add ½ cup of the dressing and mix well to coat.
4Season and serve. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve lukewarm or cold, reserving the rest of the dressing for another recipe or add more to taste.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Make it ahead. Leave it set in the refrigerator all day so the dressing soaks in.
- Batch the dressing. I make a big batch and just leave it in the refrigerator. It is great drizzled on roasted vegetables, quinoa salad, green salads, broccoli salad, and Italian pasta salad too!
- Do not overcook the pasta. Gluten-free noodles go soft fast; pull them at the low end of the package time.
- Chop small for kids. Bite-size vegetables mean every forkful gets a little of everything.
- Potluck pairings. It travels well next to my healthy potato salad and broccoli grape salad.
Serving Ideas
Looking for something scrumptious as a Fourth of July party food? Pasta salads are perfect served in the spring and summer when the weather is warm and BBQ's are happening. Serve it with grilled hamburgers, a cucumber tomato salad or alongside Mediterranean quinoa salad for a bigger spread, and keep the leftovers for lunches all week.
Bowtie Pasta Salad FAQs
Yes, and it is better that way. Make it in the morning and leave it in the refrigerator all day so the dressing soaks into the pasta. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
A simple 5-ingredient Italian dressing: olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Start with ½ cup and add more to taste.
Yes when made with gluten-free bowtie (farfalle) noodles. Any small gluten-free pasta shape works.
Either. Serve it lukewarm right after tossing, or chill it and serve cold. Pasta salads are typically served cold.
Any vegetables can be used. Cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and snap peas all work, and cannellini or garbanzo beans add extra protein.
Reserve some dressing and toss a little more in right before serving. The pasta absorbs dressing as it sits in the refrigerator.
Bowtie Pasta Salad With Broccoli and Feta (Gluten-Free + Video)
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Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free Bowtie (Farfalle) pasta noodles
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup yellow peppers diced
- ½-1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup diced olives
- 1 ¼ cup chopped broccoli
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup white onion diced
- ½ cup feta
- fresh ground black pepper
Italian Dressing
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- pink Himalayan salt and black pepper (I use about ¼ teaspoon each and season more to taste once mixed in)
Instructions
Italian Dressing
- Combined olive oil, vinegar, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper together. Mix well and set aside.
Pasta Salad
- Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile chop and prepare the vegetables.
- In a large bowl combine all the ingredients together. Add ½ cup of the dressing and mix well to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve lukewarm or cold, reserving the rest of the dressing for another recipe or add more to taste.
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