As summer comes to a close and fall begins, there is a bounty of fresh vegetables at their peak just waiting to be transformed into delicious meals. This recipe for quick and easy Picnic Salad features a combination of fresh and in-season vegetables such as:
- crisp cucumbers
- hearty zucchini
- ripe Roma tomatoes
- red and green onions
- sweet corn
Picnic Salad is ideal for bringing to picnics (of course), barbecues, potucks, and all your football season tailgate parties. And since it’s so quick and so simple to make, it’s also a great side dish for those busy weeknight meals. All of the flavors and textures in this Picnic Salad come together with the delicious addition of Catalina dressing.
What is Catalina Dressing?
Catalina dressing became very popular in the 1960’s and has been seen in salad dressing aisles ever since. It is made up of a few simple ingredients that when put together make a sweet and slightly sour dressing. Most recipes include: ketchup, sugar, red wine vinegar, onion, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, oil, salt and pepper.
What is the Difference Between French Dressing and Catalina Dressing?
The term French dressing originally referred to any oil and vinegar based salad dressing. Today, French dressing bought at the store is generally pale orange and creamy, while Catalina dressing is a brighter red color, less creamy, and is described as having more of a tangy flavor.
If you’re not a fan of Catalina dressing feel free to substitute your favorite flavor. Both French and Italian dressing would complement the vegetables in Picnic Salad perfectly.
More Recipes Like Picnic Salad
If you love this recipe for Picnic Salad, you’ll want to check out these other fresh and tasty salad recipes:
- Summer Orzo Salad
- Doritos Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing
- Keto Salad – Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
How To Make Picnic Salad Step By Step
Step #1: Chop the tomatoes, red onions, olives, zucchini and green onions.
Step #2: Drain cans of corn, beans and olives and place in a large serving dish.
Step #3: Place chopped vegetables in the bowl with corn, beans and olives and toss.
Step #4: Pour dressing over the mixture and stir to combine.
Step #5: Top with cheese and corn chips and serve. Enjoy!
Picnic Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can corn, drained
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 3.8-ounce can sliced ripe black olives, drained
- 1 cup Catalina salad dressing
- 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cup corn chips
Instructions
- Place beans and corn in a large serving dish and toss to combine. Fold in the vegetables.
- Pour dressing over the mixture and stir to combine.
- Top with cheese and corn chips and serve.
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