Have you ever played the picnic game? I can remember playing on the first day of school, as an icebreaker. I never could come up with anything fun that started with a “N” like my name, besides… napkins. But hey, you totally do need napkins, right? I was such a practical eight year old 😉
Today we are celebrating International Picnic Day by bringing you a basket packed with goodies from A to Z, in the style of the picnic game! Drop by the Sunday Supper Movement to see the whole picnic spread out on our virtual blanket.
I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing…
Asian Chicken Salad from Try Anything Once Culinary
Beautiful Beet Salad from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Chicken Muffuletta from Marlene Baird
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups from The Dinner-Mom
Elote from Peaceful Cooking
Fennel Slaw from FoodieTots
Greek Farro Salad from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Honey Porter Glazed Chicken and Vegetable Skewers from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
…and Italian Pasta Salad!
I originally wanted to bring my Antipasto Skewers for today’s picnic, but Dionne beat me to the letter “A”. So instead, I decided to share my favorite Italian Pasta Salad recipe.
I love pasta salad for a gazillion reasons. I mean first of all, pasta. Then you can really add whatever ingredients you want from there, so while I do share a recipe below, you can add extra veggies (tomatoes, cucumber, spinach?), meats and/or cheese however you like.
To me what makes this an Italian pasta salad are the meats I use, as well as the ridiculously easy dressing. I used to love the boxed salad kit with dressing until I discovered a homemade version from Peas and Crayons. I use this dressing for marinades, and grilled chicken salads, as well. It’s easy, fresh, and so so good!
I recommend making this pasta salad the night before you plan to eat it. I think cold dishes like this are tastier the longer they chill (same goes for my mom’s potato salad) . If the pasta soaks up the dressing, which happens to me most of the time, you can make a second batch and add a few tablespoons. All that will do, is enhance the flavor that much more–promise!
Huge thank you to Heather for organizing such a fun day!
Ingredients
- Pasta Salad:
- 1 box tri-colored pasta, cooked to package directions
- 4 oz can sliced black olives
- 4 oz green olives
- 1 8 oz package mozzarella balls (at my grocery, these were by the deli in the specialty case)
- 1 6 oz package of pepperoni or salami (sometimes I use 3 oz of each)
- ..........................................................................................................................................
- Italian Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 TBSP mrs dash italian seasoning [this blend tastes AMAZING]
- 1/2 TBSP of garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- freshly ground black pepper, if desired, to taste
Instructions
- Dressing: Whisk all ingredients together and allow to infuse for at least an hour to soften the dry herbs and marry the Italian flavors.
- Salad: To a bowl, add your cooked pasta, veggies, meat, and cheese. Add dressing and mix together. Allow time to chill for best flavor.
What are some of your favorite picnic eats?
I am always game for pasta salad, and this one sounds lovely!
Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen recently posted…Garlic Scape Pesto
What’s a picnic without this gorgeous salad! Yum!
Exactly! Thanks, Tammi 🙂
I love pasta salad! I need to try your recipe for the dressing.
Danielle Nichols recently posted…Elote #PicnicGame
I love pasta salad! This looks delicious!
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere recently posted…Tuscan Bread Salad for a #PicnicGame
I have never heard of the picnic game! But I love pasta salad and that looks yummy!!!
I’ve heard it called the picnic game, and the ABC game? You go around the room and have to remember what everyone before you brought to the “picnic”
This looks so good!! I usually don’t like cold pasta salads but looks like I will need to try this one 🙂
http://neatly-packaged.blogspot.com/
Nancy @ Neatly-Packaged recently posted…TBT: Last time I was in Paris…
Love an Italian pasta salad — but I don’t always think to add olives. Yum!
colleen @ foodietots recently posted…Fennel Slaw {#PicnicGame}
Hey, every picnic basket needs napkins! 😉
No kidding, my favorite types of pasta salads are those with salami and mozzarella – so I would devour this!
Thanks so much for adding it to the picnic basket.
Heather // girlichef recently posted…Yogurt Banana Berry Ice Pops #PicnicGame
I’ve made this w/bottle dressing and without the olives and the cheese balls, but I need to add in the cheese balls! I’m not an olive fan, but it still tastes great!
Heather @ My Little HEA recently posted…Mason Jar Lemonade aka Day Drinking
Isn’t everything better with balls o’ cheese? 🙂
What a beautiful, bright, flavorful salad, Nichole! Perfect summer eating!
Your napkin comment made me laugh. Every picnic needs napkins! Smart addition to the list, especially for an eight year old!
Stacy recently posted…Mango Ginger Bundt Cake #BundtBakers
Haha, I mean really it was all I could ever come up with! Thanks, Stacy!
This just made me so hungry!!!
I love a good pasta salad and this one rings all the right bells for me! YUM!
Thanks, Renee!
Beautiful cold pasta salad! Love it!
Cindys Recipes and Writings recently posted…Molasses Lovers Baked Beans #PicnicGame
I use to LOVE that game! This recipe looks amazing!
Madaline recently posted…Italian Lessons: Wear White (at the park)
Thanks!
Antipasto skewers sounds lovely, Nichole. But, I am sure glad you brought cheery and colorful pasta salad accented with plenty of Italian flavors!
Thank you so much 🙂
Pasta salad is always the first thing I go for at picnics but I don’t usually make it myself for lack of a good recipe. Thank you for sharing this one with us!!
Dionne Baldwin recently posted…Asian Chicken Salad for the #PicnicGame
Hope you make and enjoy it, Dionne!
That looks delicious and perfect for all the summer cookouts!
Kerry recently posted…Corn and Asparagus Red Leaf Salad
My family and I love pasta salads and I’m always trying new recipes. Your salad looks lovely!
Alli recently posted…Hit or Miss – S’more Cups
Thanks, Alli!
Terrific pasta salad! Great flavors and textures…so darn irresistible!
Liz recently posted…Greek Farro Salad #PicnicGame #SkinnyTip
Thanks, Liz! Let’s have a salad party with your Greek Orzo + my Italian Pasta Salad 😉
OH how I wish I could eat pasta salad!!! looks phenomenal!
Lora recently posted…Lora Hogan in the Media!
We’re on the W30, so I made this for Memorial Day, but we could easily eat this without the pasta and it’d still be yummy and super flavorful!
Oh yes this looks great… Minus the black olives. We sorta play the picnic game but call it the abc game.
That’s why I like this recipe. You can add/omit what you like! I was never good at the abc/picnic game, ever.
I love pasta salad! I usually keep mine simple, I am still learning to cook. I will definitely thrown in the meats and cheeses next time!
N recently posted…Cuban Burger
This is so easy, Nikki. You can do ittttt
Yum! I love a good pasta salad. I usually just use store bought Italian dressing. This recipe sounds much better!
Lisa recently posted…Birmingham Bucket List
The dressing is so so simple and I like that I know what I am putting into it!
I love pasta salad. My mom makes a tasty one with Mrs. Dash Salad Seasoning, veggies and tricolored noodles.
One of my favorite picnic recipes is on my blog today. It’s sautéed grapes with goat cheese. So easy and so very tasty.
Haley @ Running with diapers recently posted…International Picnic Day
We must have commented on each other’s posts around the same time, Haley. Because I said how I need to make the grape + goat cheese dish!
I love me some Italian pasta salad!
SMD @ Life According to Steph recently posted…Sharing Stories – Why I Relay
You can never go wrong!
Oh wow this looks and sounds amazing!
Thanks, chickie!