Pasta Salad Recipes

Staff Picks

Pasta with Scallops, Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, and Parsley

This simple, but satisfying, Pasta with Scallops, Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, and Parsley dish is colorful and easy to prepare.

Three-Bean Pasta Salad

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Easy and summery, this Three-Bean Pasta Salad is a side that's great for your next cookout or picnic.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Chickpeas

An Italian remix on pasta salad that's sure to be the star of the party. Short, curly gemelli or fusilli noodles are perfect in this summery dish, as they leave room for other ingredients in every forkful, and the grooves hold the herbs and the zingy lemon vinaigrette in this Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Chickpeas.

Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula

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You can prep the components of this Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula in advance—toss together just before serving. The spicy arugula, creamy goat cheese, and a touch of Dijon mustard give the dish plenty of flavor.

Green Bean and Shallot Ravioli Salad

In this take on the green-bean casserole, cheese ravioli replaces the heavy mushroom soup, while sauteed shallots and crunchy toasted almonds stand in for the fried onions.

Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts

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The peanut butter, rice vinegar, and soy sauce give this Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts an Asian-inspired flavor.

Pasta and Broccoli Salad

Cooking the pasta and the broccoli together makes this easy salad even simpler.

Tuna Macaroni Salad

A top tip for this Tuna Macaroni Salad, soaking raw onions in cold water for 15 minutes helps mellow their flavor.

Creamy Pasta Salad with Celery

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Celery and onions are a refreshingly crunch addition to this creamy pasta salad.

Orzo and Zucchini Salad

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This Orzo and Zucchini salad tastes best at room temperature, so prep it and stow it for a bit while cooking the rest of your meal.

Antipasti Pasta Salad

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This toss-and-go Antipasti Pasta Salad is perfect for picnics and potlucks.

Ravioli Salad with Cilantro Pesto, Olives, and Pepitas

This Ravioli Salad with Cilantro Pesto, Olives, and Pepitas recipe was adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson (Ten Speed Press; 2011). It makes for a delicious pasta salad to bring to any summertime potluck.

Inspiration and Ideas

Our Most Popular Pasta Recipes Ever

Our Absolute Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes

If you're feeding a crowd, there's nothing better than a big bowl of pasta salad. Whether it's for a summer cookout, a holiday buffet, or an anytime accompaniment to a sandwich, pasta salad works and always wins. Our pasta salad recipes can be made well in advance—and toted to a potluck or picnic—and are perfect for big-batch cooking throughout the week. A chilled pasta salad holds up remarkably well in the fridge, too: You can make a big batch of noodles and mix in fresh vegetables without dressing the salad first. The beauty of a pasta salad is that you can edit and tweak the formula any way you wish—choose your favorite noodle, a blend of vegetables, a sprinkle of protein if need be, and sauce or dressing when you're ready to serve.

Emeril's Macaroni Salad

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Classic Macaroni Salad

Pasta Salad with Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil

Macaroni and Potato Salad

Combine two classics—macaroni and potato–to make a delicious summer salad. This dish is best served immediately, while the bacon is still warm.

All Pasta Salad Recipes

Shrimp Pasta Salad with Cucumber and Dill

Forget deli-style pasta salad, and try this version with shrimp, cucumber, dill, and a bright lemon dressing. You can even make it up to a day ahead.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Broccoli

A high proportion of vegetables turns this Pasta Salad with Roasted Broccoli into a light, nutritious meal.

Warm Tomato Pasta Salad

This Warm Tomato Pasta Salad is a caprese-inspired dish is perfect for feeding a crowd.

Orecchiette, Celery, and Olive Salad with Ricotta Salata

A lively pasta salad where the orecchiette serve as little bowls for salty, soft cheese, crunchy celery, and briny olives. Chickpeas provide protein in each bite, making this the perfect vegetarian side dish for summer entertaining. Another bonus: it's a make-ahead wonder.

Wacky Mac Pasta Salad

This colorful, flavorful pasta salad makes a family-friendly side dish for any warm-weather gathering, and it's name, Wacky Mac, is fun for the kids, too.

Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

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This summer-fresh big-bath salad of corn and zucchini orzo makes enough salad for two meals. Save 4 cups to use in our Corn, Zucchini, and Pasta Frittata.

Pasta with Fennel, Sardines, and Pine Nuts

Sardines in a pine-nut-and-fennel sauce add complex flavors and protein to this easy pasta dish.

Soba Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Tomato

Make this Soba Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Tomato for a delicious vegetarian lunch or dinner.

Whole-Wheat Orzo Salad with Broccoli-Pine Nut Pesto

Create this Whole-Wheat Orzo Salad with Broccoli-Pine Nut Pesto that's adapted with permission from "Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen" by Heidi Swanson, copyright 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Artichoke Pasta Salad

This light Artichoke Pasta Salad makes a perfect portable lunchtime meal.

Cellophane-Noodle Salad

Seedless cucumbers often have small seeds; remove them for this Asian-inspired Cellophane-Noodle Salad recipe. Do not rinse the noodles after cooking; it will make them stick.

Soba Noodles with Tofu, Avocado, and Snow Peas

Soba Noodles with Tofu, Avocado, and Snow Peas makes for a delicious, nutritious lunch. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour, which is an excellent source of fiber and protein.

Soba Salad with Asparagus and Shrimp

Japanese soba noodles, made with buckwheat flour, add fiber to this high-protein dinner featuring asparagus and shrimp.

Pasta Salad with Peas and Summer Beans

Citrusy and cilantro-packed, this Pasta Salad with Peas and Summer Beans dish pairs well with grilled chicken or tuna. It would be equally delicious with mint, parsley or a combination of fine herbs.

Pasta Salad with Feta and Snow Peas

The snow peas add crunch while the feta cheese gives this pasta salad a salty bite.

String Bean, Arugula, and Pasta Salad

Two types of beans—yellow wax and green—make up this colorful, substantial salad. Arugula adds a tart taste, while soft pasta rounds out the dish.

Tortellini Salad

Hold off on tossing in the prosciutto crisps and arugula in this Tortellini Salad until just before serving to keep them crisp.

Whole-Wheat Shells with Tuna and Arugula

This Whole-Wheat Shells with Tuna and Arugula is the lunch dish to cook when you don't really feel like cooking. It involves minimal swelter in the kitchen and almost no prep. If you can't find jarred tuna, substitute canned.

Grilled Tomato and Corn Pasta

To achieve a delicious smoky flavor when making this Grilled Tomato and Corn Pasta, give tomatoes and corn a quick turn on the grill.

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Salad

This cool Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Salad features authentic Vietnamese flavors and ingredients.

Orzo and Snap Pea Salad

This Orzo and Snap Pea Salad combines the tasty vegetable with the delicious pasta. A cross between snow peas and English (regular) peas, sugar snaps have a pod that contains small peas. The entire pea is edible, including the pod.

Summer Pasta Salad with Shrimp

In this salad, the hot pasta will wilt the spinach and soften the squash. Firm tofu, cut into cubes and cooked in a nonstick pan, can be used in place of shrimp for a vegetarian-friendly option.

Farro Salad with Thinly Sliced Zucchini, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Zest

Farro is a type of hulled wheat that has been cultivated in Italy for centuries. Look for it at gourmet shops and health-food stores, where it is also sold as spelt. This Farro Salad with Thinly Sliced Zucchini, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Zest is perfect for a summer luncheon.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Combine Chicken Salad with pasta for a meal that's ready in minutes.

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