Most importantly, the best potluck recipes need to be crowd-pleasers. Potluck meals need to be plentiful, delicious, and easy to transport. What Are the Best Foods to Bring to a Potluck?

What Are the Best Foods to Bring to a Potluck?.

Cold pasta salad + a glass of rose for dinner, and colder pasta salad as leftovers for lunch all week. Cook up some pasta, toss it all together, and voila.

Stop at the store on the way home and pick up some good salami and cheese, some olives, and a few fresh herbs. May I offer one last tidbit of advice? You do not need to wait to be invited to a picnic or potluck to get some pasta salad magic in your life.

This gives it time to absorb the dressing but not get mushy!

For making ahead: I love to make pasta salad 12-24 hours ahead of time.

For storing: After I make this pasta salad, whether making it ahead or storing leftovers, I just pop it in the fridge and it will keep for 2-3 days.

The beauty of pasta salad is that the flavors get even better the longer it all sits and lingers together! Storing Pasta Salad and Making Ahead Of Time

Toss together, taste and adjust, and exercise every self-control muscle in your body so as not to eat the whole thing before everyone comes over.

Blitz up your dressing in a blender or shake it up in a jar.

Chop all your veggies, cheese, meat, and other fixings.

Allow it to cool slightly and toss a bit of olive oil in there.

Cook your pasta according to package instructions.

We’re bringing this beauty to share with friends, family, neighbors, post office workers, daycare providers, pretty much whoever can get their hands on a fork stat. Okay, it’s summer, so you know we’re not spending all day in the kitchen. You made that dressing, you pasta salad boss, you. Homemade, in a blender or food processor, so it takes approximately 60 seconds.

fresh herbs (like parsley, more basil, or chives).

We need a tangy Italian dressing (no mayo here!). I like rotini (or fusilli), penne, or farfalle.

Cherry tomatoes (or some other non-threatening veg)įor the pasta, pick a pasta shape with good solid texture and shape to absorb all the sauce.

Pasta Salad Ingredientsĭo you have two and a half seconds? Cool. This delicious little number will do both for ya.

Addressing the leftover meat, cheese, and vegetables in my fridge and making them into a meal that I pretty much want to eat 24/7.

Attending a picnic, potluck, or other end-of-summer-everyone-bring-something type party when you need to bring a side dish.

In my mind, a nice classic pasta salad serves one of two scenarios:

Quick and easy pot luck ideas