The Best Pasta Salad Recipes
These pasta salad recipes are the ultimate summer staple—light, refreshing, and endlessly customizable. With fresh vegetables, proteins, and flavorful dressings, they’re perfect for BBQs, picnics, meal prep, or quick lunches.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- Cooked pasta (rotini, bowtie, elbow, or penne)
- Fresh vegetables (cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion)
- Cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, feta, or parmesan)
- Protein options (crab, bacon, chicken, or salami)
- Creamy or vinaigrette-based dressings (mayo, sour cream, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, pickle juice)
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, Italian herbs)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente, then rinse under cold water to cool and prevent sticking.
- Dice all vegetables, cheeses, and proteins into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk together your choice of dressing—creamy or vinaigrette-based—adjusting to taste.
- Toss the cooled pasta with veggies, protein, and dressing until evenly coated.
- Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Garnish with fresh herbs or additional seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Use gluten-free or whole wheat pasta as needed.
- Try tortellini, orzo, or even chickpea pasta for variety.
- Add Mediterranean elements like olives and feta or go Tex-Mex with corn, beans, and chipotle ranch.
- For meal prep, store extra dressing separately to freshen leftovers.
- Enjoy pasta salad chilled; do not freeze.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Find it online: https://recipesbyliza.com/the-best-pasta-salad-recipes/
