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    TaraTeaspoon » Course » Main Dish » Pasta

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    A Collection Of The Best Summer Pasta Salad Recipes

    Published: Jun 28, 2020 · Updated: Jul 2, 2020 by Tara Teaspoon

    easy pasta salad recipes pin
    summer pasta salad roundup pin
    summer pasta salad collage pin

    A delicious classic or cold pasta salad is a quintessential BBQ and picnic side dish. Here is an amazing collection of summer pasta salad recipes that will keep you happy all season.

    collage of pasta salad recipes with title in the middle
    Jump to:
    • Side dishes for a BBQ
    • Best pasta salad ever
    • Salads with veggies
    • Those classic Italian pasta salad favorites!
    • Delicious Greek recipes
    • Meaty goodness and chicken pasta salad recipes
    • 💬 Comments

    Side dishes for a BBQ

    There is more than one great side dish for summer. If your prepping for a BBQ or just a tasty summer dinner grab one of these pasta salad recipes and then try some of my others:

    • Amazing Potato Salad Recipes
    • Fresh Corn Fritters
    • Easy Caprese Focaccia
    • Summer Grape Guacamole

    Best pasta salad ever

    You're in the right place for the best pasta salad recipes. Why? Because I've collected them from all over and put them in one place for you.

    You'll find recipes for classic pasta salad as well as others:

    • Creamy pasta salad recipes. There are cold pasta salads with mayo and others with no mayo.
    • Healthy summer pasta salad recipes loaded with veggies.
    • Pasta salad with cheese. Some grated cheddar and others with Parmesan.
    • Italian dressing pasta salads with those classic flavors you love.
    • Global flavors tossed on pasta for a fun side dish.
    • Meat-lovers pasta salad recipes with bacon and sausage.

    Salads with veggies

    You'll find some healthy summer pasta salad recipes here. But, mostly these are classics with veggies, and twists for you to try!

    pistachio pesto pasta over head photo
    Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Shredded Zucchini
    Pistachio Pesto Pasta with shredded zucchini makes a great dinner, to-go picnic staple or the perfect packed lunch.
    Recipe
    herbed vegetable pasta with artichokes mixed in salad bowl
    Herbed Vegetable And Artichoke Pasta
    Savory artichokes and tangy vinaigrette really wake up your taste buds in this easy pasta salad.
    Recipe
    Garden Cucumber and Tomato Orzo Salad in a glass bowl on a cutting board
    Garden Cucumber and Tomato Orzo Salad
    This pasta salad is tangy and light — no mayo anywhere in sight. The fresh vegetables and dressing will make your taste buds sing.
    Recipe
    Pasta Salad in Red Bowl, aerial shot
    Dill Pickle Pasta Salad + Tutorial
    Quick and easy to make, this tangy pasta salad recipe is just the thing for serving at those backyard barbecues, summer picnics and taking to potlucks.
    Recipe
    Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
    This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is super easy, delicious, and can be prepared under 15 minutes. Enjoy this with oven-baked bbq chicken and dinner rolls!
    Recipe
    Salad in a glass mixing bowl
    Summer Pasta Salad
    This easy recipe starts with garden fresh veggies and tender pasta, I create a very simple dressing to allow the summery flavors of the vegetables to shine through.
    Recipe

    Those classic Italian pasta salad favorites!

    Whether it's a pasta salad with Italian dressing or simply one touting tomatoes or basil, this is where to find the best pasta salad ever (in some folks opinion)!

    Sala
    Lauren's Pasta Salad
    It’s delicious and couldn’t be easier to throw together. Just chop some veggies and cheese, boil some pasta, and there you have it. It’s also easy to double or triple the recipe for feeding large crowds.
    Recipe
    italian pasta salad in white bowl
    Italian Pasta
    This pasta salad has it all. It’s both quick and delicious, takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and tastes even better as leftovers.
    Recipe
    Salad plated on a white plate
    Vegan Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
    Vegan Italian pasta salad recipe from scratch with veggie La Bomba sauce. A spicy “Calabrian condimento or Bomba Calabrese”, made with marinated artichoke hearts, eggplant, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, green olives, garlic, onion and lots of herbs.
    Recipe
    Salad in a big mixing bowl
    Italian Pasta Recipe
    Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Italian Vinaigrette is a fan favorite for my family. This quick and easy recipe is flavorful with great texture.
    Recipe
    Salad in a yellow bowl
    Easy Pasta Salad Recipe with Italian Dressing
    This easy pasta salad recipe with italian dressing is perfect for your next backyard barbecue or to enjoy during the summer.
    Recipe

    Delicious Greek recipes

    Fantastic flavor and delicious morsels of classic Greek ingredients are tossed into these salads. They make tasty side dishes or picnic bowls.

    Greek salad in a blue mixing bowl
    Easy Greek Orzo Salad
    This easy Greek Orzo Salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, BBQs and get togethers. Whenever you need an easy and healthy side dish, that is guaranteed to disappear first, make this gorgeous Greek orzo salad!
    Recipe
    Pasta salad in glass bowl
    Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
    This yummy Greek Pasta Salad recipe is a delicious cold pasta salad that’s so versatile. Serve it as a main dish, side dish, for summer parties or a healthy, light supper.
    Recipe
    Salad in white bowl
    Healthier Greek Pasta Salad
    This Greek Pasta Salad is super healthy and light. I use it as a side dish, but you could also add grilled or roasted chicken to it for a very simple meal! Serve it chilled.
    Recipe
    Salad in clear glass bowl
    Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
    Packed full of Mediterranean flavor, this easy summer salad features all of the best Greek veggies, orzo, and other fresh ingredients in a quick lemon Greek dressing.
    Recipe

    Meaty goodness and chicken pasta salad recipes

    A little bacon, sausage or tasty chicken makes a pasta salad so delicious it's almost a meal. Try one of these and have everyone coming for seconds.

    Pasta with tomatoes, bacon and yellow squash in white bowl
    Gemelli With Bacon, Tomato And Yellow Squash
    Gemelli combined with fresh vegetables and bacon makes a perfect and easy summer pasta with yellow squash.
    Recipe
    Close up of Squash and Pancetta pasta in white serving bowl
    Squash and Pancetta Pasta
    Use baby squash and smokey Italian bacon for a sophisticated take on pasta salad.
    Recipe
    Salad in a white serving dish
    Reuben Pasta Salad
    Reuben Pasta Salad has all of the amazing flavors of your favorite Reuben Sandwich! Corned beef, swiss, sauerkraut and pickles are tossed with a simple thousand islands dressing for one the best potluck salads you’ve ever had!
    Recipe
    Salad on a white dish plate
    East Coast Lobster Pasta Salad
    This lobster pasta salad takes everything wonderful about a Maritime lobster roll and turns it into a cold salad perfect for entertaining.
    Recipe
    Meat Lovers Pasta Salad
    Meat Lovers Pasta Salad ~ yes, real men DO eat pasta, and it’s this hearty pasta salad! Real women love it too 😉 This meaty pasta salad will be the hit of your next barbecue, potluck, or backyard shindig.
    Recipe
    Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
    So many people have straight lost their minds for bacon, this bacon ranch pasta salad recipe should be a hit at summer parties. Plus, it’s colorful and looks pretty on the table.
    Recipe
    Salad in a white dish
    BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad
    BBQ chicken pasta salad is a crowd pleasing favorite with mozzarella cheese, olives, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, and artichoke hearts.
    Recipe
    Pasta Salad in dark blue bowl
    Creamy Pasta Salad with Summer Sausage
    This delicious Creamy Pasta Salad is packed with vegetables, sausage, and topped with a creamy three-ingredient dressing! Serve it cold as the perfect side dish on a warm summer day!
    Recipe
    Salad in a trifle glass dish
    Grandmas 7 Layer Salad: With Chopped Ham and Peas
    It’s a delicious blend of fresh layers with a creamy dressing on top.
    Recipe
    Cold Chicken Spinach Pasta Salad
    This Cold Chicken Spinach Pasta Salad is the perfect easy cold meal prep idea or a dish for a potluck!
    Recipe

    Find my serving bowl recommendations for pasta salad here.

    Side Dish Recipes

    • A bowl of 4 cheese mac and cheese with ground pepper on top.
      4 Cheese Mac and Cheese
    • Close up of a partially unwrapped honey cornbread muffin with honey dripping off the top.
      Honey Cornbread Muffins
    • Close up of slice of sweet potato cornbread with honey drizzle.
      Sweet Potato Cornbread
    • Cranberry sauce from craisins in a bowl with turkey.
      Cranberry Sauce Using Dried Cranberries
    • Feature image of a square of cheesy cornbread on a plate.
      Cheesy Cornbread
    • close up of cashew crunch salad feature
      Asian Crunch Salad
    • Bowl of mashed potatoes with butter and scallions on a Thanksgiving table.
      Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
    • Close up spoon full of mashed potatoes with melty cheese on top.
      Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Compiled by Meg Palmer

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    1. julie says

      July 03, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      Oh the meats! Lobster, bacon and BBQ Chicken pasta salad recipes all in one place - yummy! These are going into the rotation asap.

      Reply
    2. Natalie says

      July 03, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      Pasta salad is the perfect side dish for summer because it's refreshing yet still filling. I can't wait to try the lobster pasta salad. What a delight!

      Reply
    3. Megan Palmer says

      July 03, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      I love the variety of Pasta Salads you found, those Greek ones look so yummy!

      Reply
    4. Britney Fronk says

      July 07, 2020 at 10:41 pm

      Pasta salad is always my favorite dish at any BBQ, so I'm PUMPED to try some of these! Thanks for finding them all!

      Reply
    5. Moriah says

      August 18, 2020 at 10:28 am

      I highly recommend the Gemelli With Bacon, Tomato And Yellow Squash pasta salad. It was a huge hit even with the kids.

      Reply
    6. Mia says

      January 01, 2021 at 9:41 pm

      Pasta Salads are my faves! Must try these! Thank you!

      Reply
    7. Emily Liao says

      July 08, 2021 at 2:42 pm

      This list is perfect for all my summer festivities! Especially looking forward to making the dill pickled version 🙂

      Reply
      • Tara Teaspoon says

        July 09, 2021 at 1:20 pm

        Oh that's a crowd favorite!

        Reply
    8. Elizabeth says

      July 08, 2021 at 2:55 pm

      I love pasta salad and this is the best round up I’ve seen! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    9. Lauren Michael Harris says

      July 08, 2021 at 3:14 pm

      I love a good pasta salad in the summer. There are SO many to try on this list - great compilation!

      Reply
      • Tara Teaspoon says

        July 09, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        Oh good! Thanks!

        Reply
    10. Beth says

      July 08, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      These look so tasty and full of flavor! My family and I can't wait to make some of these! Excited to give some of these a try!

      Reply
    11. Caroline says

      July 08, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      I'll admit, pasta salads are not usually my go-to but I love all the variety of flavors in these - definitely a few I'm looking forward to giving a try.

      Reply
      • Tara Teaspoon says

        July 09, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        With all the variety I'm sure you can find one you may like!

        Reply
    easy pasta salad recipes pin
    summer pasta salad roundup pin
    summer pasta salad collage pin

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

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