Recipe Hit List: 27 Pasta Salad Recipes

Summer’s finally here and that means plenty of BBQs, picnics and potluck suppers to enjoy–and pasta salads!

This week’s Recipe Hit List is a collection of pasta salad recipes I’ve found around the net, plenty new ones to me and hopefully you’ll find a few favorites for your recipe box too. Enjoy!

27 Pasta Salad Recipes

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Tortellini Chicken Salad: (as seen in picture) You can substitute any type of cheese tortellini. Since this salad needs to chill, plan ahead. Recipe from Taste Of Home.
2. Angel Hair Pasta Salad with Tomato and Basil: The garlic infused oil is a wonderfully light but flavorful dressing that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients in the dish. Next time I make this, I will do a couple things differently. I think I will use half shredded mozzarella instead of all Parmesan – it just seems like a natural addition because of the tomatoes and basil. Also, I’ll break the pasta strands in half before cooking them just to make them more manageable for eating. Finally, I definitely preferred the taste of this at room temperature as opposed to after refrigerating so I will only serve it at room temp from now on. I think the flavors were muted by the chill. I’ve reflected these changes below. Enjoy! Recipe found at Annie’s Eats.
3. Lime and Basil Pasta Salad: This has the same underlying idea as the original: pasta, grilled summer vegetables, lime vinaigrette, fresh basil. Light, refreshing, and perfect for a warm night. Recipe found at In A Tiny Kitchen.
4. Spinach & Pasta Salad With Grilled Chicken: To keep the leftovers from getting soggy, we usually keep the spinach and bean sprouts seperate from the rest of the salad and when serving, make a bed of spinach and bean sprouts and then spoon the chicken and dressing mixture on top. This is always a hit at get togethers. There are no leftovers usually. Recipe found at Fuzz Food.
5. Pea, Radish and Orzo Salad: This is total picnic and potluck food for those in the parts of the world (like me) where the weather is getting good. There were gorgeous radishes at the market, too – they add such pop of color and crunch. Throw in some chopped sugar snap pea pods and chives with a tangy dressing and it’s a great base for grilled salmon or seafood or alongside really flavorful sandwiches. Recipe found at Running With Tweezers.
6. Grandma Sis’s Macaroni Salad: Recipe found at The Boston Globe.
7. Mustard-butter Broccoli Pasta: This is a wonderful summer pasta, partly because of the bright colour and fresh taste, but also because it requires but one pot. And, if you’re quick on the ball and plan ahead, you can use the summer heat to soften butter, which is one of the “sauce” ingredients. Recipe found at Patent And The Pantry.
8. Fasta Pasta Salad: What could be simpler than cooking pasta and vegetables together, cooling them and tossing them in a mayonnaise dressing? Not much, that’s what. This also makes use of frozen veggies, since we are still waiting for the first real vegetables of spring. Recipe found at Seasonal Ontario Food.
9. Easy Peasy Pasta Salad: Okay this is an easy one! It’s so versatile, you can substitute just about any part of it. Recipe from Canadian Crafter.
10. Pasta Salad: I used my mom’s recipe for pasta salad tonight; whenever she makes it, I can’t stop eating it, so I figured that it was about time I made some for myself. Kramer also loved it! I didn’t get home from work until 7 tonight, and this whole dish only took about 20 minutes, so it was perfect for tonight. I personally like it better the next day (and cold – seriously, it’s so good), but that’s just me. Recipe found at The Crepes Of Wrath.
11. Greek Orzo Salad: The thing I love about salads is that they are so simple to make yet can be so complicated in taste. I put tons of stuff in my salads, creating layers and layers of taste. This Greek orzo salad is a great example, and I find the nuttiness of the toasted pine nuts really complements the taste of the melted feta cheese. I had this salad at BB’s house a few weekends ago, and adjusted the recipe to my taste. Recipe found at Nooschi.
12. Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad: I think this might be my favorite pasta salad. It’s really yummy (it’s hard to stop eating) and it is incredibly easy and quick. Last week I had two crazy-busy days and I ended up making a half recipe of this for dinner one night and then I finished off the package of dip mix for a second batch a few days later. All but the dressing mix, these are staple ingredients that I always have on-hand. So I just try to keep a package of this dip mix on hand too, and then I have a quick and delicious dinner whenever I need it. Hope you like it! Recipe found at The Sisters’ Cafe.
13. Asian Pasta Salad: I made this simple pasta salad with whole wheat shells, shredded carrots, green beans, green onions, cashews and a delicious tahini dressing. Topped with fresh herbs, this is going to be the pasta salad I bring everywhere this summer. It’s light and refreshing, but still unique and addicting. Best of all, it would be great with all manner of seasonal vegetables. Hello summer! Recipe found at bitchincamero.
14. Healthy & Delicious: Lemon Basil Pasta Salad: Citrusy and light, it’s solid for office lunches, picnics or picky eaters. We brought it to an outdoor concert this past weekend, and it was all we could do to keep random adults, explorative toddlers, bad dogs, and marauding ants from attacking the bowl. I’m pretty sure your neighborhood will dig it, too. Recipe found at Serious Eats.
15. Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad: I’m not usually one to brag, but this pasta salad is freaking good – it’s always a hit at summer gatherings and it’s probably my most requested recipe from friends. I can’t take total credit; this originally came from one of those little seasonal magazine cookbooks by the checkout in the grocery store years ago. From the first time my mother made it, we knew it was a winner. Recipe found at Cara’s Cravings.
16. Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes and Poppy Seed Dressing: Pull off a dinner pasta salad in less than 30 minutes. Six easy ingredients are all you need. Recipe found at Betty Crocker.
17. Spinach Pasta Salad: I found this recipe in one of my gazillion cookbooks ~ Settings Sunrise to Sunset ~ it’s just a little bit different from most pasta salads, it’s easy to make, and delicious to boot. I would think that you could use any type of pasta that you liked. The original recipe called for spinach fusilli but I used the three color rotini instead and it worked great. I adapted the recipe to make it easier to put together. Found at A Recipe A Day.
18. BLT Pasta Salad: This was a great addition to our BBQ This Weekend. The Flavors were great. This would be a great dish for a potluck….Enjoy! Recipe found at Anissa’s Kitchen.
19. Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Basil: I have to admit something. I routinely overcook whole wheat pasta – on purpose. I really prefer the flavor and texture. It doesn’t seem to break down like white pasta or become gummy like overcooked rice pasta. It is also why I love to use whole wheat pasta in big pots of soup – over time the pasta keeps it shape if you have leftovers and reheat it several times. Recipe found at Cooking In Color.
20. Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad: My biggest regret with this is that I forgot to buy fresh basil and parsley so I was stuck using dried. Don’t get me wrong, this was absolutely fabulous and full of flavor, but I can just imagine what fresh herbs would have done. Besides the flavor from the dressing, I loved the all the veggies and feta, it was just so good. (sadly I didn’t get a good shot of the veggies. Believe me, it was very pretty!) Oh and the artichokes, I just love artichokes. The process of making this is easy but long, it’s not something to just throw together after work and eat for dinner. Recipe found at Simply Tasty.
21. Grilled Chicken Parmesan Pasta Salad Recipe: Is it possible to have all the luscious flavors of a chicken parmesan dinner in a healthy, wholesome way? YES! By grilling an organic chicken breast and combining it with some whole wheat pasta and other all-natural ingredients, you can have fantastic flavor, texture and not miss a beat. The fat-free tomato and herb dressing sauces things up, and is a great alternative to heavy mayonnaise or oil laden pasta salad dressings. Recipe found at Timeless Gourmet.
22. Pasta Salad With Roasted Tomatoes: Earlier today, I prepared an easy and light pasta salad for lunch with my kids. Here is the recipe. Recipe from Seasaltwithfood.
23. Creamy Latin Pasta Salad: This recipe doesn’t disappoint. It lives up to it’s creamy name and gets it’s latin flavors from cilantro and lime juice. I add whatever veggies I have around the kitchen. But, the past 2 times I’ve made it, black and green olives and grap tomatoes have always been present! Give this a try if you’re tired of the same old Italian pasta salad and you’ll be glad you did. Recipe found at Crafty’s Cafe.
24. Aunt Gert’s Macaroni Salad: Oh, my – this isn’t your regular potluck macaroni salad!! It’s sweet, it’s tangy – it’s really filling!! You can easily just make 1/2 of the recipe and have plenty!! But oh my, it is SO GOOD!! My photo doesn’t do this recipe justice. I was in a hurry and didn’t set the picture up well. You’re just going to have to trust me on this one – it’s a keeper!! Recipe found at Daily Blue Plate Special.
25. Pea and Mint Pesto Pasta Salad: Delicious, refreshing, and utterly springy, this is the perfect dish for the first picnic of the season. The addition of mayonnaise to the traditional pesto helps it cling to the cold pasta. If you start the pasta first, you can have this salad ready to go in around 20 minutes. Recipe found at Croque-Camille.
26. Ranch Pasta Salad: I love making pasta salad in warm weather. It’s nice and cool, and I can put in whatever vegetables and herbs I’ve got. It’s great to pack and take for lunch, too. I make all different kinds, depending on what’s fresh. Today I decided to try it with my homemade ranch dressing and herbs picked fresh from the garden. Recipe found at Farmer’s Daughter.
27. A Lite Summer Caprese Pasta Salad: Dinner tonight was fast and easy. I absolutely LOVE a Caprese Salad (Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil, Olive Oil, Balsamic). Recipe found at Danica’s Daily.

Don't Miss These Tips:

• Recipe Hit List – Tasty Main Dishes
• 12 Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
• 12 Pasta Recipe Pleasers