Antipasto Picnic Salad
Simple & Delicious
Everybody just loves this tempting blend of meats, veggies and pasta. It goes together in no time, serves a crowd and tastes as delicious at room temperature as it does cold. Also, it’s chunky enough for the kids to pick out any individual ingredient they might not like! --Michele Larson, Baden, Pennsylvania
SERVINGS: 25
CATEGORY: Salads
METHOD:
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 15 min.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (16 ounces) medium pasta shells
- 2 jars (16 ounces each) giardiniera
- 1 pound fresh broccoli florets
- 1/2 pound cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 pound hard salami, cubed
- 1/2 pound deli ham, cubed
- 2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni, halved
- 1 large green pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained
- DRESSING:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain giardiniera, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. In a large bowl, combine the giardiniera, broccoli, mozzarella, salami, ham, pepperoni, green pepper and olives. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into meat mixture.
For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and reserved giardiniera liquid. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 25 servings. Editor's Note: Giardiniera, a pickled vegetable mixture, is available in mild and hot varieties and can be found in the Italian or pickle section of your grocery store.