Cold pasta salads earn their place fastest when the bowl has enough going on to work as more than a small scoop beside the main dish. These 11 recipes cover salmon, chicken, steak, shrimp, bacon, pesto, pizza-style add-ins, fresh vegetables, creamy dressings, and vinaigrettes, with several that can stand in for lunch or a light dinner. Most come together in 20 to 50 minutes before any optional or required chilling time. The range gives cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and make-ahead lunches plenty of options without repeating the same creamy macaroni formula.
Salmon Pasta Salad
Cooked salmon gives Salmon Pasta Salad enough substance to work as lunch or a chilled main, with 10 servings and 20 minutes of prep and cooking. Orecchiette is mixed with salmon, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon. The cucumber is salted and drained before joining the pasta so the dressing stays creamy. Keep leftovers refrigerated for one to two days, especially if the salmon was already cooked before the salad was made.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Crisp bacon and romaine bring sandwich flavors into BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!, an eight-serving side with 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking. Pasta is tossed with tomatoes, red onion, parsley, bacon, and a dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving. If making it ahead, wait to add the lettuce until close to mealtime so the bowl keeps more crunch.
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Rotisserie chicken turns Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad into eight main-course servings with a 1-hour-2-minute total that includes 30 minutes of chilling. Rotini joins Caesar dressing, lemon, chicken, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon, Parmesan, romaine, and garlic croutons. The pasta, chicken, vegetables, bacon, and cheese can chill together first. Fold in the romaine and croutons just before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and the croutons do not soften in the dressing.
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Steak & Pasta Salad
Cooked steak makes Steak & Pasta Salad sturdy enough for a main or side, with eight servings and 25 minutes of prep. Pasta is mixed with steak, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and optional candied walnuts. Mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon, lemon, herbs, and garlic make the ranch dressing. Toss most of the dressing through the salad, chill for 20 minutes, and save the rest to freshen any leftovers before serving again.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Shrimp, feta, and chickpeas give Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp eight servings with a 35-minute prep-and-cook total before chilling. Orzo joins grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and the seafood, while olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, dill, parsley, and honey form the dressing. Refrigerate the finished salad for at least an hour before serving. It works as lunch, a chilled dinner, or a substantial side beside grilled meat or fish.
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni and Pepper Jack turn Pizza Pasta Salad into eight servings in 20 minutes before its chilling time. Fusilli is combined with pepperoni, cheese, bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, parsley, Italian seasoning, and Italian dressing or vinaigrette. The pasta is cooled under running water before everything is tossed together. Refrigerate the bowl for at least one hour before serving, or make it a day ahead and add a little extra dressing if the pasta absorbs too much overnight.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad
Scratch vinaigrette keeps Italian Pasta Salad free of mayonnaise and bottled dressing, with eight servings and a 1-hour-32-minute total including chilling. Fusilli is mixed with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, oregano, Dijon, and red pepper flakes make the dressing. Reserve part of the vinaigrette, then fold it through with fresh basil just before serving so the pasta stays coated.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Pesto Orzo Salad
Basil pesto gives Pesto Orzo Salad six servings with 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking before a short chill. Orzo is mixed with pesto, mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, and lemon juice. Toasted pine nuts and basil finish the bowl after about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Serve it beside grilled chicken or steak, or use it as a make-ahead lunch when a cold pasta salad with plenty of cheese fits the plan.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Greek yogurt replaces a fully mayonnaise-based dressing in Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad, a six-serving salad ready in 30 minutes. Bow-tie pasta is combined with diced rotisserie chicken, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic, while Greek yogurt, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and optional sugar make the dressing. Toss the dressing through about 30 minutes before serving. The cooked chicken gives the bowl enough substance for lunch or dinner as well as a side dish.
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Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Bacon and cheddar make Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad a six-serving side with a 50-minute total before its recommended chill. Farfalle is mixed with grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, cheddar, bacon, and green onions, while mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, bacon fat, smoked paprika, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder make the dressing. Refrigerate the finished salad for at least an hour when time allows. Thick-cut bacon helps the pieces keep more texture after everything is mixed.
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Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Fresh vegetables fill Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad, an eight-serving salad ready in 33 minutes. Farfalle is tossed with grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow summer squash, black olives, parsley, and red onion. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper form the vinaigrette. Part of the dressing softens the onion first, while the rest goes over the salad near serving time. Serve right away or chill it until the table is ready.
Get the Recipe: Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad