Parmesan Pasta Salad

Name: Parmesan Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup peanut oil; 2 cups broccoli; ¼ cup scallions; 1 clove garlic clove; ½ teaspoon dried basil; ½ teaspoon salt; 8 oz rotini pasta; ½ cup Parmesan cheese; 1 cup cherry tomatoes; black pepper; olive oil; red pepper flakes; basil

Tossing Parmesan with warm pasta helps it cling to the spirals instead of collecting at the bottom of the bowl. Once chilled, the broccoli stays bright and the little tomato bites bring a sweet pop.

By Betty Lou Gardner1 hr 25 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This Parmesan Pasta Salad is a simple, flavorful side dish that combines tender pasta, crisp broccoli, sweet cherry tomatoes, and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese! Served chilled, it has a fresh, savory flavor that makes it equally at home at summer cookouts, potlucks, lunches, or alongside grilled meats.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

The broccoli should still be bright green when it comes out of the skillet. I mix the Parmesan in while the pasta is warm so it clings to the noodles instead of sitting in the bottom of the bowl. The tomatoes go in last and get stirred gently. This always tastes better after a night in the refrigerator than it does an hour after it's made.