Best Picnic Pasta Salad One Dish Meal Recipes

CLASSIC PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Classic Picnic Pasta Salad image

Bulk up this delicious pasta salad with broccoli, peas, ham and provolone.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 30m

Yield 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup bite-sized broccoli florets
8 ounces dried fusilli pasta
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cup diced provolone
1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup diced salami

Steps:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Whisk the mayonnaise, parsley, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
Cook the broccoli in the boiling water until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add the broccoli to the bowl with the dressing.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the pot. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Add to the bowl.
Add the ham, provolone, olives, onion and salami to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The pasta salad is best if served right away.

CONTEST-WINNING PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Contest-Winning Picnic Pasta Salad image

My family's not big on traditional pasta salads made with mayonnaise, so when I served this colorful version that uses Italian dressing, it was a big hit. This crowd-pleaser is loaded with vegetables, beans and tricolor pasta. It's one of the best picnic salad ideas! -Felicia Fiocchi, Vineland, New Jersey

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch Side Dishes

Time 25m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 package (12 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
1 package (10 ounces) refrigerated tricolor tortellini
1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets (about 1-3/4 cups)
12 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
12 ounces hard salami, cubed
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix

Steps:

Cook spiral pasta and tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the artichokes, broccoli, provolone cheese, salami, peppers, beans, olives, onion and garlic. , Prepare salad dressing according to package directions; pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 411 calories, Fat 23g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 43mg cholesterol, Sodium 1156mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 18g protein.

PICNIC PASTA SALAD -- ONE DISH MEAL

Picnic Pasta Salad -- One Dish Meal image

A terrific, portable, one-dish meal made from items you probably have in your pantry and fridge. Good for a packed lunch when you don't want sandwiches (just keep it chilled in the cooler), or good for a cold meal at home on a hot day. Best made the night before.

Provided by 3KillerBs

Categories One Dish Meal

Time 15m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 lb macaroni, cooked and cooled (or other preferred pasta)
1 -2 cup diced ham (ham you cut from a real ham is leaner than lunch meat ham or other processed ham products)
1/2 lb diced swiss cheese or 1/2 lb diced provolone cheese
1/4 cup minced sweet onion (optional)
1 lb frozen green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces
4 -6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup canola oil
1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (I prefer Heinz brown)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Steps:

Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whisk dressing ingredients together until smooth and well-blended.
Toss salad ingredients with dressing until well-blended.
Let sit, refrigerated, at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
Note: Additional vegetables can be added substituted if desired. Frozen broccoli florets or chopped cucumber are particularly good. But if you add a lot of extra veggies you might need an extra half batch of dressing.
Note: It is not necessary to thaw the frozen veggies if making it the night before.
Note: Fresh beans, snapped to size, can be used raw for a crisper texture or they can be blanched and cooled first.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 490.3, Fat 20.4, SaturatedFat 6.4, Cholesterol 126.7, Sodium 564, Carbohydrate 54.1, Fiber 7.2, Sugar 3.7, Protein 23