Pasta salad is a summer staple for barbecues and backyard parties! Everyone needs a favorite recipe to call their own. All of these pasta salad recipes are hearty, fresh, and delicious!
Elements of a Pasta Salad:
Pasta salad is so versatile! It's easy to customize and it's a tasty catch-all for leftover produce. Most versions are a combination of these elements:
- Cooked pasta - Any shape is fair game! Try bowtie, cavatappi, rotini, elbow macaroni, tortellini, orzo, or whatever pasta you like best.
- Veggies - Tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, sweet bell peppers, red onions, peas, green onions, avocado, carrots, broccoli, etc. It it sounds good, it probably is!
- Meat (optional) - Ham, pepperoni, bacon, salami
- Cheese (optional) - Feta, mozzarella, parmesan
- Miscellaneous - Dried cranberries, crunchy peas, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, pepperoncini's, boiled eggs
- Dressing - Either a vinaigrette or a creamy mayo-based dressing! Vinaigrette style is more popular except in macaroni salad.
Pasta Salad Recipes:
If you've never thrown to together a pasta salad on a whim, it can feel a little intimidating.
That's why I've created this list of crave-worthy pasta salad recipes to get you started.
1. Tuscan Pasta Salad with Sundried Tomatoes
This Tuscan pasta salad makes an excellent summer side dish for grilled chicken or juicy burgers. It seriously has so much flavor!
Or make this a complete meal by adding in some diced chicken!
2. Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni pizza pasta salad is simple, fresh and loaded with all of your favorite pizza toppings.
It’s perfect for parties, get-togethers, or a weeknight side dish!
It's a delicious combo of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pepperoni, black olives, red onion, and parmesan cheese.
3. Smoked Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoncini Dressing
Smoking some of the ingredients on a pellet smoker adds so much flavor to this smoked Italian pasta salad.
It's full of tri-color pasta, tomatoes, peppers, pepperoni, salami, basil, and onion! This recipe is a little bit smoky, a little bit tangy, and SO satisfying!
4. Easy Hawaiian Pasta Salad
Hawaiian pasta salad is super quick, easy, and inexpensive to make. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a taste of the tropics all year long!
Elbow macaroni is tossed in a creamy dressing with salty ham, sweet pineapple, crunchy carrots, and sweet peppers.
5. Green Goddess Pasta Salad
This herbaceous pasta salad features a creamy green goddess dressing and a delightful crunch from the bacon!
It's a crowd-pleasing, zesty side dish everyone loves.
6. Summer Italian Pasta Salad
This summer Italian pasta salad is super easy, fast, and tasty. It’s picnic perfect and cookout ready.
It's a fresh and crunchy combo of red bell peppers, cucumbers, sliced olives, crispy bacon, and salty parm.
7. Asian Pasta Salad with Sesame Dressing
This Asian pasta salad with sesame ginger dressing is healthy, light, and supremely delicious.
Easily whip it up in less than 30 minutes. It's fabulous for picnics, potlucks, or a healthy family meal.
8. Tuna Pasta Salad
If you're looking for something to take to a potluck or just want a tasty lunch, this tuna pasta salad is easy to make and tastes delicious.
Tuna, macaroni, celery, onion, and peas get tossed in a creamy dressing! Simple yet satisfying.
9. Tortellini Antipasto Salad
Italian tortellini antipasto salad is a mix of your favorite antipasto ingredients and hearty, cheese filled pasta.
Tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing, this antipasto salad takes no time to make! It's perfect for a quick lunch, or a light summer dinner when it's too hot to turn the oven on.
10. Greek Pasta Salad
Homemade Greek pasta salad made with pasta, Greek olives, feta cheese, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncinis, and tossed in a homemade Greek dressing.
The Best Greek Pasta Salad recipe to feed a crowd!
11. Sweet Broccoli Apple Pasta Salad
When warm weather is in full swing, this sweet broccoli apple salad makes the perfect side dish for all your outdoor barbecues!
This healthy but still creamy side dish is fresh and deliciously full of sweet honey crisp apple, carrots, broccoli and raisins all mixed with pasta. Yum!
12. Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Easy 5-ingredient pesto tortellini pasta salad takes just minutes to make and is packed with flavor.
The secret? Store-bought basil pesto! Choose a high-quality pesto since it's the star of the dish.
13. Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle Dressing
This Southwest pasta salad with chipotle dressing is a fantastic addition to your summer picnics or barbecues!
With bacon, cheese, pasta, and more, this dish will give you a little kick!
14. Greek Tahini Pasta Salad
Ultra creamy, fresh, and healthy, this Greek tahini pasta salad makes an easy dinner or picnic side dish.
Enjoy the mix of fun textures with regular or gluten-free pasta, creamy tahini, olive oil, and fresh salad vegetables. Chop, mix it all together, and enjoy! It’s that easy.
15. Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
Summer orzo pasta salad is a great addition to any summer get together!
This summer salad combines orzo pasta, chickpeas, feta cheese, crisp summer vegetables, fresh herbs and is topped with a light vinaigrette. Everyone loves it!
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