Crisp, fresh broccoli and cheese tortellini with a creamy dressing are the basis of this salad. Raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion dress it up. This recipe is most requested at potlucks.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 20 ounces fresh cheese-filled tortellini
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
Directions
Step 1
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
Step 3
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar to make the dressing.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, tortellini, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion. Pour dressing over salad, and toss.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 12 | |
Calories 322 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat16g | 21% |
Saturated Fat4g | 21% |
Cholesterol20mg | 7% |
Sodium341mg | 15% |
Total Carbohydrate39g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber4g | 14% |
Total Sugars18g | |
Protein9g | |
Vitamin C68mg | 342% |
Calcium100mg | 8% |
Iron1mg | 7% |
Potassium372mg | 8% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
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source by allrecipe
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 23 years ago
I’ve made it both with and without the bacon. I took the broccoli florets and sunflower seeds off the salad bar, and use the Hormel already cooked bacon. I have had raves about it both with and without the bacon. I found that it needs more dressing than the recipe calls for.
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 23 years ago
This is a wonderful “end of summer” salad…I changed a couple of things however…namely, I blanched the broccoli, I soaked the raisins in hot water until they were plump, and I toasted raw seeds, lightly salting them as I baked them in a 400 degree oven. I prepared the salad, without the dressing, the night before, letting the flavors meld, and on the next morning, before serving it, I lightly seasoned it with granulated garlic and black pepper. I added the dressing about an hour before serving.
This salad got rave reviews by all 30 people who tried it, and was one even by a 13 year old boy, whose staple is PB&J!
Jeanne, Everett, WA
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 23 years ago
THIS RECIPE WAS MORE THAN WHAT I HAD EXPECTED. I’M NOT A FAN OF BROCCOLI BUT MUST SAY THIS WAS EXCEPTIONAL. I MADE IT FOR A SHOWER I WENT TO AND EVERYONE JUST RAVED ABOUT IT. I DID MAKE A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS AFTER READING THE REVIEWS. ONE BEING INCREASING THE DRESSING, THE OTHER WAS SUBSTITUTING DRIED CRANBERRIES FOR THE RAISINS….DELICIOUS.
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- by: Wannabechef
- 22 years ago
My family loves this recipe. I made it for a wedding shower and another party. I was asked for the recipe several times at both events. A wide variety of people have said they love it. Update: My cousins and I exchanged “favorite recipes” at christmas- one cousin brought this recipe- I had given it to her a few years ago. So it came full circle. You can not miss with this. Make it exactly as it is written and it’s a sure winner.
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- by: Judy Olsen Mccourt
- 22 years ago
Wow! This dish was a really big hit! I followed it exactly, and although I had my reservations about the sunflower seeds and the strange sauce, everyone ate it up! Three people asked for the recipe (which is really impressive because I can’t cook!!) It was a huge success.
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- by: DOUBLELOVE4
- 22 years ago
Made this for my brother-in-law who loves the original broccoli salad recipe. Everybody loved it! They told me to always use this recipe again. It looks very impressive if served in a glass bowl and extremely colorful if you use red onion, Craisins and tri-color tortellini. DEFINITELY A KEEPER!!!
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 22 years ago
The taste of this salad is DEFINATELY 5 STARS. The only reason I held back one star was because the dressing is very thin and sinks to the bottom of the bowl, I would suggest a way to thicken it but… Betty Crocker I am not. This is still an excellent salad that you MUST try! (Even kids like it!)
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- by: Daniel Den Hoed
- 22 years ago
What a great salad! This was very delicious, high above my expectations. We followed the recipe, except using less sugar. Next time, as suggested by others, I would double the dressing because the pasta soaks it up and it gets less if refrigerated. Definitely will make again!
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 22 years ago
I have made this dish over 3 dozen times (for catered events, family, parties, etc.) It always gets raves–no leftovers!! As recommended by others, I blanch the broccoli florets for about 30 seconds, plunge into ice water until cooled, then drain and dry. The broccoli stays a gorgeous green and is easier to eat. I usually omit the raisins, but have them on the side for sprinkling. Also, I usually make 1 1/2 times the dressing. Typically, I mix the salad together with about 1/3 of the dressing and leave covered tightly in the fridge overnight or for several hours-the pasta soaks up the dressing. About 30-60 minutes before serving, I add the rest of the dressing. This salad is always a hit!
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- by: ROBINRN
- 22 years ago
This is a really nice change of pace from the standard broccoli salad I usually make (which I’ll be making no longer) The combination of the different ingredients definitely makes this salad. I doubled the dressing; used less sugar & more vinegar to taste. Result was awesome. I got numerous compliments & requests for the recipe. A real keeper!
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- by: X-NMAC
- 22 years ago
Loved this! Be careful with the tortellini. I hadn’t cooked with it before and it tended to fall apart with too much stirring. (I may have overcooked it) I used tri-colored tortellini and craisins for a more festive look, used just less than 1/4 cup sugar and doubled the rest of the dressing ingredients. I blanched the broccoli for 30 seconds. I also followed the suggestion to mix salad with 1/3 of dressing and leave covered in fridge overnight. I added the rest of the dressing an hour before serving. Oh – and I do wish I would have chopped the onions more finely. Resulting taste was a bit more “oniony” than intended. Overall, it turned out wonderfully! I was concerned that the flavors wouldn’t blend well, but this was great together!
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- by: JOSIE
- 21 years ago
I love broccoli salads Judy and tossing tortellini around in there is a great idea. I’m not too crazy about the cheese and I like to use crasins instead of raisins. The mayonnaise dressing is a great blend of sweet and tart and is a must for this recipe. Can’t wait to try this out on friends. Thanks for the submission.
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- by: SANDS99
- 21 years ago
Great with a simple grilled steak or chicken breast, this salad is a myriad of tastes. Make sure you are a fan of all things sweet, tart, and tangy if you plan to make this. If you don’t like Miracle Whip, for example, this salad is not for you. Otherwise it’s a fun and original alternative to the classic cold pasta salad.
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- by: MARY DOMAZ
- 21 years ago
Great recipe which was well received at a recent pot luck dinner. Per other reviews, I did make a few adjustments. For the dressing I used 1 1/2 cups mayo, 6 T sugar and 1 T Cider Vinegar. I reserved some of the dressing to toss just before serving, since pastas absorb a lot of dressing as they sit in the frig. I also save some bacon to sprinkle on top just before serving. Like many others, I did blanch the broccoli. Very tasty recipe!!
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 21 years ago
The recipe was great! But I did make some adjustments to the ingredients. I left out the sugar, and used honey roasted sunflower seeds, used white raisins, and also used sour cream with the mayonaise. It was sweet enough with out the sugar. I also steamed the broccoli until tender, and used rice wine vinegar and cider vinegar.
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- by: DIESELBUD
- 21 years ago
I love this salad. I leave out the pasta and just do it all veggie (with sunflwer seeds of course) I also use finely chopped dates they are less sweet than raisins.
My suggestion to those who disliked it the first time, use MAYONNAISE not MIRACLE WHIP or salad dressing. This makes a HUGE difference in most salads that call for Mayo. There IS no substitute for mayo.
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- by: Fortuneteller
- 21 years ago
Easy and Fast for any potluck…many compliments and requests for this recipe. After reading all the alterations to the original recipe, I tried a fellow reviewer’s advice (Mary Domaz on 4/23/03)and it came out perfect. I will make again when someone asks me to “bring a dish” to a party.
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- by: Angela Sims
- 21 years ago
This was delicious! Can I give this more stars? I also followed the review of Mary Domaz and it was perfect. I didn’t have raisins, so I substituted dried cranberries. I took it to a friend that has a restaurant and she said that it was going on her salad bar immediately. Some do not like sweet dressing on their vegetables, but it is perfect for us! Thanks!
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