Jump to Recipes: Broccoli Bacon Salad | Deli-Style Pasta Salad | Avocado Corn Salad
I just told my sister I could live on these salads. She said it wouldn’t be a well balanced diet, so I described the ingredients. She took it back. Just look at the titles and tell me these aren’t worth living on:
1. Broccoli and Bacon Salad 2. Deli-Style Pasta Salad 3. Avocado Corn Salad I’ve been happily eating these leftovers from our picnic on Sunday the last few days, eyeing the dwindling stock of salads sadly, knowing that I have to share with everyone else who has access to the fridge upstairs (which at the moment is at least 4 other adults). They last quite well, except for the everyone eating them before me part.
I love recipes with lots of colorful vegetables and a nice mix of flavors and textures. Anything that can be made ahead is also great for events like this, especially if they involve enough ingredients to make the chopping & mixing take a little bit longer. 
The only one here with points off for easy make-ahead prep work is the Avocado salad, which has the base mixed up early and then you chop & add the avocados shortly before eating.
For picnics, I try to avoid having anything with much mayonnaise so I don’t need to worry about leaving it out. The broccoli salad fails on that level, but the NY Times says that the vinegar in mayo makes it safe and this salad has extra vinegar, so it must be fine?
One of these recipes – the Broccoli Salad with Bacon – is a favorite from my Mom, copied down after a potluck with friends years ago and made regularly for events with family, friends, or our church ever since. The Deli Style Pasta Salad and Avocado Corn Salad are copied from Taste of Home magazines I subscribed to in the 90s, carefully organized and taped together when they’ve been too well loved.
Last summer I posted recipes for two of my other favorite summer salads, which also succeed in all of these markers:
| Tropical Fruit Salad with Honey-Mint Dressing | Black Bean Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing |
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Broccoli Bacon Salad
This version makes about 12-16 servings, depending on how hungry people are or how many salads you made for the event
Salad Ingredients
- 2 lbs. raw broccoli flowerets, separated into bite-size pieces
- 1-2 large red onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins (or dried cranberries, if you like)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 3/4 cup chopped crispy bacon or bacon bits
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. light mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup vinegar (red wine or apple cider, preferably)
- 3/4 cup sugar
Directions
- Mix together salad ingredients. Stir dressing ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. Pour dressing over salad and stir together.
- Refrigerate a few hours to let flavors blend.
| Ingredients | Dressing Mixture | Slicing Bacon | Salad Mix |
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Deli-Style Pasta Salad
Salad Ingredients
- 1 package (12 oz.) tricolor pasta
- 8 oz. sliced salami
- 8 oz. provolone cheese, cubed
- 1 6 oz. can ripe olives, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup coarsely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. salt<
- dash of pepper
Directions
- Cook pasta, being sure not to let it get too soft. Drain immediately and rinse in cold water.
- Mix in the rest of the prepared salad ingredients (the prep work on this can take a little bit, so give yourself enough time or recruit a helper).
- Mix together the dressing and pour over the salad. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight to give the flavors time to soak into the pasta.
- Garnish with tomatoes, if desired.
| Ingredients | Chopped Fillings |
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| Dressing Ingredients | Mixed Salad |
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Avocado Corn Salad
I didn’t think I needed another corn salad beyond the one I’ve developed with black beans, limes, and lots of cilantro. But this one uses avocados, olives, and a bit of oregano and is delicious. Good for people who don’t like cilantro! Can also be eaten as a chunky salsa with chips, if you like to have finger-food options. <
Salad Ingredients
- 1 package (16 oz.) frozen corn, thawed
- 1 can (6 oz.) ripe olives, sliced
- 1 medium red pepper, sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 medium ripe avocados (kept for last)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. cider or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Directions
- Combine all salad ingredients except avocados.
- Combine dressing ingredients and stir into corn mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight for best flavor (will be fine fresh too, just less well blended). Just before serving, chop avocados and stir into salad.
| Salad Ingredients | Dressing Ingredients |
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