15 Pasta Salad Recipes
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Everyone loves a good summer grill-out, with some burgers and brats on the grill. But let’s be real — the highlight of any picnic (and we would contend, any Thanksgiving feast as well!) is rarely the main dish.
It’s all about the sides!!!
Especially all of the famous side salads.
You’ve got your traditional potato salad, fruit salad, broccoli salad, and green salads galore. But if you’re really lucky? Pasta salad will make an appearance. And not necessarily the infamous Italian tri-color pasta salad of of our childhoods, or its blobby, mayo-drenched counterpart. Modern pasta salads are full of delicious, fresh, and creative ingredients. Plus they’re typically very quick and easy to make, and easy to prepare in advance, which makes them perfect for busy summer days.
So today, we’ve found 15 cool and creative pasta salads to share with you that would be perfect for your next summer BBQ. From a pasta with a fun southwestern spin, to a bright and colorful peanut and ginger flavored soba noodle salad, these recipes are more inventive than the stuff you grew up with, and are sure to please a crowd.
Enjoy!
Easy Summer Pasta Salad | Two Peas and Their Pod
Mediterranean Tortellini Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette | Joanne Eats Well With Others
5-Ingredient Pasta Salad | Gimme Some Oven
Vegan Macaroni Salad | Minimalist Baker
Healthy Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing | Ambitious Kitchen
Tzatziki Pasta Salad | Spicy Southern Kitchen
Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles | Cookie and Kate
Asparagus and Arugula Pasta Salad | Gimme Some Oven
Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad | Host the Toast
Marinated Vegetable Pasta Salad | Barefeet in the Kitchen
Mexican Pasta Salad | Yummy Healthy Easy
5-Ingredient Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad | Gimme Some Oven
Summer Macaroni Salad with Crispy Pancetta and Petite Peas in a Bright & Creamy Lemon-Thyme Dressing | The Cozy Apron
Kale Caesar Pasta Salad | Foodiecrush
Caprese Pasta Salad | Love & Olive Oil
I LOVE me a good pasta salad, and all of these look so tasty! I might just need to have a pasta salad dinner so I can try all of them! Pinned!
Thanks Taylor! And a pasta salad dinner sounds like an excellent idea — YUM! :)
OH, this is fantastic, thanks for sharing. I need to shake up my pasta salad routine and that Mexican Pasta Salad looks delish!
Thanks Amber, so glad you liked this roundup!
these all look delicious! very timely. thank you!
Thank you Libby, we’re glad you like the roundup!
Great set of recipes! I found quite a few that I would be interested in trying.
Thanks Susan!
Hi, I wanted to make this for an event that ill be doing. Ill be serving 300ppl. In your opinion could I prep this the night before? Or what would you suggest? Thanks!
Hi Vanessa! Wow, that’s a lot of people! We absolutely think prepping the night before would be fine. Good luck with everything!
This was for the kale ceaser pasta salad
Fantastic ideas, love it
Thanks Delia!
I just love pasta salads I’m gonna try some of these yummy recipes