Pasta salads earn their place at cookouts because they can bring vegetables, cheese, meat, seafood, and dressing into one chilled bowl. These 11 recipes cover Italian-style fusilli, bacon farfalle, Caesar rotini, steak and pasta, chicken pasta salads, orzo with shrimp or pesto, salmon, deviled egg, pizza flavors, and BLT ingredients. Several make eight servings, so they are built for picnic tables, potlucks, and backyard meals. The range moves from creamy dressings to vinaigrettes and pesto without repeating the same mix-ins from bowl to bowl.
Italian Pasta Salad
Fusilli gives Italian Pasta Salad eight servings with a 1 hour 32 minute total. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil fill the bowl around the pasta. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, and Dijon form the dressing instead of a mayonnaise base. Chill it before serving so the vegetables and cheese stay fresh beside burgers, grilled chicken, ribs, or other cookout mains.
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Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Smoky bacon makes Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad six servings in 50 minutes with farfalle at the center. Grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, cheddar, green onions, mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, bacon fat, smoked paprika, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder round out the bowl. The salad can be served right away or chilled before mealtime. Keep it cold for a picnic spread, then spoon it beside burgers, chicken, ribs, or pulled pork.
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Rotisserie chicken turns Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad into eight servings with a 1 hour 2 minute total. Rotini, Caesar dressing, lemon zest, lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon, Parmesan, romaine, and garlic croutons join the chicken. The lettuce and croutons bring familiar Caesar elements into a pasta-salad format with extra substance from the meat. Serve it chilled when the table needs a side that can also cover a lighter lunch portion.
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Steak & Pasta Salad
Cooked steak gives Steak & Pasta Salad eight servings in 25 minutes, making it one of the more substantial bowls in the lineup. Pasta, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts surround the beef. Mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon, lemon, herbs, and garlic build the dressing. Chill the salad before serving so guests can scoop pasta, vegetables, cheese, and steak together beside grilled or smoked mains.
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Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Bow tie pasta keeps Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad easy to portion across six servings in 30 minutes. Rotisserie chicken mixes with roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic, while Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar form the dressing. The cooked chicken gives the chilled salad enough substance to work beyond a small side. Pack it in a covered bowl and keep it cold until the picnic or cookout table is ready.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Shrimp and feta give Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp eight servings in 35 minutes. Orzo joins grape tomatoes, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, dill, parsley, and oregano for a vegetable-heavy bowl. Olive oil, lemon juice, and honey keep the dressing lighter than the creamy salads elsewhere in the roundup. Serve it chilled beside grilled meat or seafood when the table needs a pasta salad with plenty of vegetables.
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Salmon Pasta Salad
Cooked salmon adds protein to Salmon Pasta Salad, which makes 10 servings for a larger table. Orecchiette is mixed with cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon juice along with the flaked fish. The creamy dressing and fresh herbs keep the pasta tied closely to the salmon without adding a long ingredient list. Chill it thoroughly before serving, especially when it is headed to a picnic, cookout, or buffet with several other cold dishes.
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Basil pesto coats Pesto Orzo Salad, a six-serving side ready in 20 minutes. Orzo mixes with mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, pine nuts, and fresh basil. The small pasta shape keeps the cheese and vegetables distributed through each spoonful. Serve it chilled beside burgers, grilled chicken, steak, or sausages when the cookout needs a pasta salad that does not rely on a plain vinaigrette.
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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Hard-boiled eggs bring deviled-egg flavor into Deviled Egg Pasta Salad, which makes eight servings in 20 minutes. Elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives fill out the bowl. The short total time makes it practical when several cookout dishes need work at once. Keep it chilled until serving so the creamy dressing and eggs stay cold on the picnic table.
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni gives Pizza Pasta Salad eight servings in just 20 minutes with fusilli as the base. Pepper Jack, bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, Italian dressing, parsley, and Italian seasoning turn familiar pizza toppings into a cold pasta side. There is no baking step, so the bowl can be finished while the grill handles burgers or other mains. Refrigerate it before serving so the pasta and mix-ins stay cool during a backyard meal.
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BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Crisp bacon and romaine carry BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!, an eight-serving side ready in 25 minutes. Pasta, grape tomatoes, red onion, and parsley join the bacon and lettuce, while mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice, and garlic powder form the dressing. The tomatoes, lettuce, and bacon keep the bowl tied closely to the sandwich that inspired it. Chill it before serving and add it beside burgers, chicken, or sandwiches at a picnic table.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!