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Broccoli Burrata Pasta Salad with my creamy, homemade Basil Ranch dressing is the perfect summer salad. It’s almost no-cook and comes together in minutes. It has extra crispy prosciutto, broccoli, and grilled corn, all tossed together with my creamy basil ranch dressing. Then, just top your salad with burrata cheese and lots of fresh basil leaves, and you’ll be good to go. This pasta salad is simple to toss together, super flavorful, and one of those recipes that everyone LOVES. Perfect for serving at your next backyard dinner. Enjoy this delicious pasta salad for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch!
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It’s officially pasta salad season. My dad would make his broccoli pasta salad at least once a week throughout the summer months, and it was always one of my favorite dinners. I’ve told this story before, but his salad was always very simple. It was just pasta tossed with cubes of cheddar cheese, broccoli, olive oil, salt, pepper, and handfuls of fresh basil from his garden.
Ever since I can remember, my dad has had his gardens full of basil. It’s one of my favorite herbs, and I have only the best memories of Dad cooking with fresh basil!
Anyway, I adore pasta salads. I’ve made Caprese and BLT pasta, and today, I’m making a creamy variation of my dad’s broccoli pasta salad.
Instead of olive oil, I made a creamy basil ranch dressing, then added lots of crispy prosciutto for a salty crunch. My mom loves crispy prosciutto, so I always try to use it whenever I see fit!
Here are the details
Step 1: get the prosciutto cripsy
Before you get started, crisp up the prosciutto. I think this is easiest to do in the oven. I line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add the prosciutto, and bake.
It will take about 10 minutes to get crispy, but watch it closely, it can burn fast!
Step 2: the basil ranch dressing
This is one of my favorite dressings, especially for summer. It’s very creamy and easy to make with fresh basil and the usual ranch ingredients: mayo, buttermilk, chives, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
If you want to make the dressing spicy, I love to toss in a jalapeño sometimes as well.
Blend everything up in a blender or food processor until creamy – super easy to do. This really adds all the flavor! And if you have lots of fresh garden basil, a great way to use it up! This dressing is yummy on all salads and sandwiches too.
Step 3: cook the pasta
I recommend using a shortcut pasta with ridges. The ridges are nice because all the creamy dressing gets nestled up inside. But of course, whatever your favorite pasta cut is will work just fine.
The secret here is cooking the broccoli with pasta. Add the chopped florets to the boiling water during the last 2 minutes of cooking, then drain. The broccoli cooks perfectly!
Step 4: toss the salad
Toss the hot pasta immediately with the dressing. The heat from the pasta will intensify the herbs’ flavors, and the dressing will really sink into the pasta for the best flavor.
It’s going to smell wonderful and taste even more delicious. This is a small trick my dad taught me for making the best pasta salad.
Step 5: add everything else
Once the pasta is tossed with the dressing, mix in the grilled or roasted corn and a few spoonfuls of basil pesto. Break the burrata cheese over the salad, and then, of course, lots and lots of crispy prosciutto. YUM!
You can eat this warm or at room temperature. I love hot food, so I like this best while it’s still a little warm.
The longer the pasta sits, the more flavor it develops, so this is perfect for making ahead. Just be sure to add the prosciutto right before serving to ensure it stays crispy!
Looking for other summer salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Lastly, if you make this Broccoli Burrata Pasta Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Broccoli Burrata Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Basil Ranch
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
Pasta Salad
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 cups (about 3 ears) grilled corn
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 8 ounces burrata cheese, at room temperature
Instructions
- 1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth—season with salt and pepper.2. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the prosciutto in an even layer. Transfer to the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, until crisp.3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Add the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.4. In a large bowl, toss together the hot pasta with the dressing. Mix in the corn and pesto. Toss to coat.5. Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavor as it sits. Add the burrata cheese and prosciutto just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This pasta salad is excellent. The combo of flavors is so good and well balanced. I’ll definitely be making this again! I’m so glad I had pesto in my freezer!
Hey Nicole,
Happy Friday!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xT
Hello, is there something that can be substituted for buttermilk? Thanks!
Hey Caroline,
You could use whole milk, that should work for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I made this right after you posted the recipe, and we LOVED it! I’m making it for a 4th of July party, but need to keep it gluten free. What GF pasta do you recommend?
Hey Tracy,
Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!! Jovial Foods makes some great gluten free options. I hope this helps! xT
We love Barilla GF penne which you can get at just about any store, I use it for pasta salad all the time. I cook it to the doneness I prefer then rinse in cold water so it stops cooking so it won’t get mushy.
Hi! Would this work with chickpea pasta?
Hey Brian,
Yes, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Amazing!! My whole family was a fan!
Hey Ashley,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! x
Can you clarify the burrata aspect for me? At room temp, does it kind of melt and stir in or do you break it up like chunks in the salad?
Cant wait to make tonight!
Hey Becky,
I kind of just break it up and then you can add as much or as little to each plate when serving. I hope you love this recipe! xT
What would you recommend serving along with this salad if this is the main dish? I am having a group of 5 for dinner and want to make sure I have enough food.
Hey Lisa,
I would probably do a roasted chicken, I think that would work nicely for you!
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/spring-skillet-roasted-lemon-chicken-and-veggies/
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Love loved loved every bite. Already looking forward to the leftovers!
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad it was a hit! Xx
I love all of your recipes but this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten and I actually made it!!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Allison:) I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it! xT
This recipe is SO good!! I could drink the sauce.. the textures and flavors come together so well and even non-veggie lovers will love this!
Hey Laurel,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear that it was enjoyed! Xx
This was so good! My 1 year old devoured it. My husband went back for a huge second helping asking for more of the “salty stuff” I will definitely be making this again and again.
Lol love to hear this, Lindsay! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! xT
I see you use the term “short cut pasta” a lot but I’m not familiar with that term. What shapes do you consider “short cut”?
Hey Kathryn,
Anything that is short like penne, ziti, rigatoni, farfalle, cavatelli, etc are shapes that I would consider to be a short cut noodle. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I figure it’s any pasta that you don’t have to twirl around a fork to eat. : )
This was my first recipe of yours that I have made, and it was delicious! I will make it again for sure. I only had frozen corn, but blackened it in a skillet and was a pretty good substitute for grilled. I did not make the Basil Ranch dressing this time, but I know it will be even better with it. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Hi Mary,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! xT
We enjoyed this very much. I’m lazy so used frozen white shoepeg corn. Was still good but your grilled or charred corn would have been an improvement. I will add jalapeños the next time per your rec, did red pepper flakes as a sub this time. I will definitely add this to my summer salad rotation!
Thanks so much, Tiffany:) So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit! I appreciate you making it:) xT
This says it makes 3 servings. With a pound of pasta, I’m guessing that’s wrong?
Hey Christy,
Thanks so much for pointing that out, will get this fixed ASAP:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xT
Replacement for prosciutto for a veg entree?
Hey Sandra,
I would just skip it, no big deal:) If you want to add another veggie like sun dried tomatoes, that would be yummy! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Can you sub anything for the mayo? Like extra buttermilk and sour cream?
Hey Renee,
Sure! I would do extra sour cream:) I hope you love this recipe! xx