Who doesn’t love a picnic? Fresh air, sunshine, and lots of delicious food is always the perfect combo, whether it’s poolside, beachside, or at the park. We love having picnics and meet up with friends at least a few times a year to have a picnic and let the kids play.
One of the things I love about picnic food is that there’s always such a great variety. My kids and I are all sort of picky eaters, so I love going to picnics since there are so many options and some of them are bound to be things we’ll love!
One of my favorite picnic dishes is pasta salad, but it can get boring having the same one all the time. This Pepperoni Pasta Salad is a delicious summer dish that is easy to make for a big crowd, picnic-style- or you can just make it for summer dinner side dish!
How can I make this dairy-free or vegetarian?
Like I said, I’m a bit of a picky eater- so I get wanting to make substitutions. Take this recipe and run with it however you want, including removing the pepperoni to make it vegetarian, skipping the cheese to make it dairy-free, or even adding in something you think it’s missing! The beauty of easy recipes like this Pepperoni Pasta Salad is that you can play around with it until you have it just the way you like it.
Is Pepperoni Pasta Salad the same as Italian Pasta Salad or Antipasto Salad?
Italian pasta salad is a super vague term that can encompass a large variety of dishes. It’s usually used as another term for antipasto salad, which is basically some kind of pasta, some kind of Italian meat, and some sort of vegetable all mixed in some oil and vinegar.
In that way, this is similar to Italian Pasta Salad or antipasto, but this is a specific version of those. While those terms can include different varieties, this particular recipe includes pepperoni {many use salami, but I find pepperoni to be a bigger hit with kids}.
Can the Kids Help?
Kids can ALWAYS help in the kitchen! For this recipe, there isn’t really anything that the kids can’t help with, except for maybe slicing the string cheese {depending on their age and skill level}. Many of the ingredients called for in this recipe come prepared and even the ones that don’t, don’t require a lot of work or any special skills.
What Supplies Do You Need to Make Pepperoni Pasta Salad?
To make this Pasta Salad recipe, you’ll need:
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- Whisk
- Large Bowl
- Large spoon
- Optional but recommended: Salad Dressing Bottle
Step by Step Guide
Ready to cook? Grab the printable recipe at the bottom of this post and come back here to get started!
Hungry for More?
Want more delicious picnic recipes? Try these:
- 15 Perfect Pie Recipes
- Lemon Cookie Bars
- Five Minute Chili Dip
- Cucumber Lemon Mint Water
- Bonus: Have fun with this free printable activity dice!
Pepperoni Pasta Salad
This easy to prepare pasta salad is a great side dish for picnics, barbecues or any other occasion. It is made with lots of shortcut ingredients so it's simple but delicious!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bow tie pasta, prepared
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 5 pieces string cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives, drained and rinsed
- 1 5-ounce bag mini pepperoni slices
- 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
Instructions
- To make the dressings, whisk together the olive oil, white vinegar, Italian seasoning and minced garlic. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooked pasta, black olives, pepperoni, and cherry tomatoes.
- Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl and chill for at least one house before serving.
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