Although this recipe is heavy on the weight, it is absolutely huge on the flavor and was one of my favorite meals from my backpacking trips this summer. It serves two hungry hikers – the amount of pasta used is double what is typically suggested, so you might reduce this if you typically have a small appetite. However, since there is no thick and meaty sauce involved, the pasta makes up for this.

This pasta meal offers plenty of freshness that is typically lacking in backpacking cuisine.

Cookware Needed

You'll need a large capacity pot – approximately 2 liters (for example the MSR Big Titan 2L cookpot – use caution to prevent boiling over) as well as a knife and a clean cutting surface. Additionally you'll need at least one dish (the pot counts as one serving vessel).

Salad Ingredients

• 8 oz Tri-color rotini pasta
• Small tomato
• Small green pepper
• Two mozzarella string cheese sticks
• 6 oz summer sausage
• Fresh basil leaves

Dressing Ingredients

• 3 oz olive oil
• 1 oz white vinegar
• Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

I typically don't do any of the prep for the salad itself until I arrive at camp to keep the vegetables as fresh-tasting as possible. I do prep the salad dressing at home and carry it in a small Nalgene bottle. First, bring around a liter of water to a boil and cook the noodles for approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Properly dispose of the water according to Leave No Trace guidelines and, while the noodles are cooling (you can add cold water to them to help speed this up, if desired) move on to prepping the other ingredients. Slice the green pepper, dice the tomato, and cut up the string cheese and sausage into bite-sized portions. Add these into the pot with the pasta, add salad dressing, and stir until well-mixed. Once the portions are separated and ready to serve, tear up the basil leaves and place them on top.

Packing Considerations

If eating this meal on the first night of a trip, which is a good idea since the ingredients are on the heavy side, you shouldn't run into any issues with refrigeration. The veggies and unopened summer sausage are at least risk, but the basil and string cheese and salad dressing should be kept cool if possible. I typically do this by insulating them inside my pack – make sure the dressing is well-sealed – after taking them out of a cooler at the trailhead. Since it isn't a hot meal, it's a great dish to eat during summer for dinner or even for a big lunch during the day across the seasons, and the flavors are all very fresh.

Editor's Note: This recipe originally appeared in Issue 48 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.