Eight of the Greatest Pasta Salad Recipes

These simple pasta salad recipes simply could be the final word summertime meals. They’re quick, versatile, and so they get extra scrumptious by the day.

Discover 10 of the BEST pasta salad recipes proper right here – and don’t overlook to pin and save for later so that you don’t miss any of those scrumptious combos!

A graphic image featuring four different bowls of pasta salad, headline reads

Studying how one can make pasta salad may simply be your ticket to getting invited to the perfect summer season events. The truth is, whenever you discover one you want, it may be a recipe that goes instantly into the “keeper” recordsdata… the type of recipe that get together company will beg you to share! 

A chilly pasta salad recipe is an iconic custom of American summer season. It’s a facet dish, it’s a meal, it’s a crowd pleaser, it’s all of the issues

They’re filled with vibrant flavors, they journey nicely, and so they get higher within the fridge by the minute – marinating in a scrumptious dressing. What’s to not love? 

It’s true, I like pasta in each format. I’ve proven you how one can make contemporary pasta from scratch, egg noodles, and reader-fave recipes like this white wine pasta sauce, lemon basil pasta, pesto pasta, a conventional fettuccine alfredo and so many extra

Whereas I might drone on and on about pasta salad recipes nearly as typically as I can eat them (and that will be brunch, lunch, snacks, dinner, picnics, potlucks and extra…) right now I needed to spherical up all of my favorites for you. 

This publish is a good one to avoid wasting and consult with down the street, everytime you want inspiration! We’re sharing the perfect suggestions, tips and secrets and techniques to creating pasta salad recipes you’re going to like.

A white bowl full of spaghetti pasta salad.

You can also make an incredible pasta salad with a bottle of retailer purchased dressing. However when you see how simple it’s to make your individual home made dressings, you’ll by no means return! 

  • Make Forward – Pasta salad is even higher on the second day, after the dressing and components mesh.
  • Healthful – With a home made dressing, you’re making a custom-made, colourful salad expertise with an explosion of taste! Not solely does it style higher, however you get to manage the components. No weirder preservatives and added sodium. Recent is at all times finest!
  • Recent, Vibrant Taste – I like home made salad dressings (the truth is, I’ve a full French dressing information) and I’ve shared many with you prior to now – you’ll want to try all these scrumptious dressing choices! 
A white bowl filled with cooked tortellini pasta, and a bottle of pasta salad dressing being poured over the top.

Suggestions

  • Use a big pot on your noodles. You wish to give them loads of room to cook dinner, separated, within the evenly salted water.
  • Take a look at this information to How one can Cease Water from Boiling Over – it’s so useful for pasta and potatoes!
  • Prepare dinner your noodles al dente. I repeat: don’t overcook your pasta! Particularly when the cooked pasta will spend further time soaking in a dressing, you don’t have to cook dinner it too lengthy.
  • Rinse noodles in chilly water earlier than combining them together with your pasta salad dressing.
  • Use a top quality olive oil. If you’re making such a easy dressing, the person components will shine!
  • How one can Retailer Pasta Salad – If you’re making it forward, you possibly can retailer in a coated bowl, within the fridge, for as much as every week.
  • Similar goes on your pasta salad dressings! The truth is, whether it is simply an oil and vinegar dressing then it can maintain for as much as two weeks!
  • Refresh Pasta Salad – If the pasta appears dry after marinating, add extra pasta salad dressing and stir! You may also go away just a little water when draining the pasta to maintain it moist and use much less dressing.
  • Including cheese? Grate it contemporary. You’ll by no means remorse this further step! Recent grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese are the hallmarks of any nice pasta dish in my eyes!

A white colander full of cooked tortellini pasta, with water flowing into it from a faucet.

A variety of gold cake pans, loaf pans and muffin baking pan sizes laid out on a marble surface.

A close up of macaroni pasta salad.

Extra About Pasta Salad Dressing

When you’re on the lookout for extra in-depth element about home made pasta salad dressings, please head to this publish the place I talk about at size! It can actually enable you to perceive the premise for a scratch dressing and also you’ll rapidly be an knowledgeable.

  • Pasta salad dressing sometimes is made with both an oil and vinegar dressing or with a creamier base like mayonnaise. 
  • I are likely to go together with a French dressing as a result of it’s so simple to alter up the flavour combos with completely different oils and vinegar. It additionally stays contemporary for longer, both in your fridge or at room temperature when serving.
  • Bonus? It is usually a lighter dressing with much less energy.
  • When you want creamy pasta salad dressings, you possibly can at all times add mayo, bitter cream or Greek yogurt to the recipe, often substituting it for the oil within the recipe.

The Greatest Pasta Salad Recipes

There are such a lot of scrumptious methods to create an unbelievable pasta salad! This listing is full of inspiration and printable recipe hyperlinks.

Discover a simple pasta salad recipe for each event proper right here! There are crowd-pleasing flavors to go well with each style. Which one will you make first?

Tortellini Pasta Salad

This tortellini pasta salad is jam full of zesty Mediterranean flavors. A home made Greek dressing completely enhances the textural pasta and veggies on this superb chilly facet dish!

A white serving bowl full of tortellini pasta salad, gold serving spoon on the side.

Mexican Pasta Salad

Simple 20 minute Mexican Pasta Salad – a light-weight, and scrumptious pasta salad recipe makes the right facet dish or stand alone dinner.

I turned my favourite Cilantro Lime Dressing right into a Mexican Pasta Salad recipe that’s gentle, refreshing and has simply sufficient kick!

A close up of a Mexican inspired pasta salad recipe.

Italian Pasta Salad

This Italian Pasta Salad recipe is fast and straightforward, with simply quarter-hour palms on time.

Simple Italian Pasta Salad Recipe – the right summer season facet dish that takes little or no effort and time and is gentle and refreshing!

A white bowl filled with Italian pasta salad.

Seafood Pasta Salad

A lightweight and refreshing Seafood Pasta Salad recipe for a lunch you possibly can take pleasure in all week or facet dish for get togethers!

This Shrimp Pasta Salad is really easy and makes use of only a few components. It’s the final word summer season pasta salad!

A white bowl on a marble countertop, filled with a seafood pasta salad recipe.

Basil Lemon Pasta Salad

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad is a light-weight and refreshing different to basic pasta salads. It’s filled with contemporary taste and is made in minutes with just a few easy components.

Lemon basil recipes are good for spring and summer season get togethers or for a light-weight and refreshing lunch or dinner. This lemon pasta salad is not any exception! It’s good for picnics and events.

A basil lemon pasta salad with two wooden spoons in the serving bowl.

Bow Tie Pasta Salad

A lightweight, refreshing pasta salad recipe, good for summer season picnics and outings.

This bow tie pasta salad has probably the most superb pasta salad dressing made with lemon and basil. It’s at all times a crowd pleaser!

a bowl of bow tie pasta salad

Unimaginable Veggie Pasta Salad

This veggie pasta salad recipe is bursting with contemporary, vibrant flavors!

Overflowing with vitamins due to an array of contemporary sauteed veggies, it’s a vegetarian pasta salad facet dish you possibly can be ok with!

A bowl full of veggie pasta salad

The Greatest Spaghetti Salad

Spaghetti salad is an extremely versatile, quick pasta salad recipe that’s such a crowd pleaser!

Tossed in a savory home made Italian dressing, this chilly spaghetti salad recipe is a keeper. It’s a recipe your family and friends will ask you to carry repeatedly.

A spaghetti pasta salad in a white bowl.

Macaroni Salad

This basic macaroni salad is the final word summer season facet dish! With a luxuriously creamy dressing and an array of vibrant and exquisite veggies, this dish is stuffed with taste.

A large bowl full of macaroni salad with a wooden spoon for serving.

Don’t Skip These:  Pasta salad is one among my favourite BBQ Sides and Burger Sides – don’t skip this entire information that will help you plan your subsequent cookout!

I can’t wait to listen to from you! Which recipe is your favourite?

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Extra Salad Inspiration

Salads

A graphic image featuring four different bowls of pasta salad, headline reads

10 Simple Pasta Salad Recipes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Prepare dinner Time 10 minutes

Whole Time 20 minutes

These simple pasta salad recipes simply could be the final word summertime meals. They’re quick, versatile, and so they get extra scrumptious by the day.

Forestall your display from going darkish

Directions

  • Boil a pot of water over excessive warmth. Boil noodles 10-11 minutes and drain.

  • With a meals course of or a mandoline (or by hand) chop all extra veggies and components.

  • Mix pasta salad dressing components and shake or whisk collectively.

  • In a big bowl, mix cooked pasta, extra components, and dressing.

  • Serve instantly or refrigerate till able to serve.

Suggestions

Pasta Salad Suggestions

  • Use a big pot on your noodles. You wish to give them loads of room to cook dinner, separated, within the evenly salted water.
  • Take a look at this information to How one can Cease Water from Boiling Over – it’s so useful for pasta and potatoes!
  • Prepare dinner your noodles al dente. I repeat: don’t overcook your pasta! Particularly when the cooked pasta will spend further time soaking in a dressing, you don’t have to cook dinner it too lengthy.
  • Rinse noodles in chilly water earlier than combining them together with your pasta salad dressing.
  • Use a top quality olive oil. If you’re making such a easy dressing, the person components will shine!
  • How one can Retailer Pasta Salad – If you’re making it forward, you possibly can retailer in a coated bowl, within the fridge, for as much as every week.
  • Similar goes on your pasta salad dressings! The truth is, whether it is simply an oil and vinegar dressing then it can maintain for as much as two weeks!
  • Refresh Pasta Salad – If the pasta appears dry after marinating, add extra pasta salad dressing and stir! You may also go away just a little water when draining the pasta to maintain it moist and use much less dressing.
  • Including cheese? Grate it contemporary. You’ll by no means remorse this further step! Recent grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese are the hallmarks of any nice pasta dish in my eyes!

Diet Data

Energy: 176kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 25g (8%), Protein: 9g (18%), Fats: 5g (8%), Saturated Fats: 2g (10%), Ldl cholesterol: 22mg (7%), Sodium: 246mg (10%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Calcium: 80mg (8%), Iron: 1mg (6%)