Pasta Salad Recipes are always a huge hit at BBQ’s, potlucks, picnics, and anywhere else that you need a good old fashioned pasta salad recipe that will feed a crowd.
From dill pickle pasta salad to cold pasta salad with Italian dressing, there is a recipe on this list for any occasion that everyone will fall in love with.
Have picky eaters? Kids and adults alike will will gobble up these classic pasta salad recipes no doubt!
HOW DO YOU MAKE PASTA SALAD FROM SCRATCH?
As long as you incorporate a few simple tricks that we’ve learned over the years, making a creamy pasta salad recipe from scratch is easy!
- Cook your pasta per package directions.
- Drain and rinse pasta under cold water. Once cooled down, put in a large bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir well. This will ensure your pasta won’t stick together while it is chilling in the refrigerator.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. The more time chilling, the better the pasta salad will turn out.
- When you are ready, take the chilled pasta out of the refrigerator and stir well. Add remaining ingredients and serve!
WHAT IS THE BEST PASTA TO USE FOR PASTA SALAD?
First, you’ll want to choose the type of pasta that you want to use in your pasta salad. Even if a recipe calls for a certain type of pasta, you can still choose the type that you like the best.
Don’t be afraid to mix up leftover packages of pasta that you have in your pantry. This is a great way to use them up!
When choosing a pasta, think about the dish that you are serving. For Italian pasta salad recipes, rotini is a favorite choice.
Classic pasta salad and creamy pasta salad recipes usually use macaroni noodles. Want to make a healthy pasta salad recipe? Try penne or ditalini pasta.
No matter what shape of pasta you use, we’re sure that it will be delicious!
HOW EARLY CAN I MAKE PASTA SALAD?
The best thing about pasta salads are that you can make them 1-2 days in advance. Make sure to cover them tightly and store them in the refrigerator.
If your pasta salad calls for mayonnaise, it’s a good idea to add a bit of mayo to cream it up right before serving. Usually a 1/2 cup will do!
Lettuce doesn’t do well when making a pasta salad in advance. I’d recommend adding the lettuce right before serving that way you won’t have wilted lettuce in your beautiful dish.
Italian dressings do the best when making your salad in advance. Make sure to add just a bit to freshen the salad up before serving.
WHAT GOES WITH PASTA SALAD?
You can serve pasta salad with so many different dishes! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
- Cold Club Sandwiches
- Loaf of French Bread with butter
- Any kind of grilled meat:
- Steak
- Chicken
- Pork Chops
If you are anything like me, I like to eat pasta salad as the main dish. Hello carbs!
With all of their creamy, cheesy, meaty goodness, it’s hard to go wrong with a favorite pasta salad recipe!
I’d love to know which one you guys try first. Leave me a comment below and let me know!
Hungry yet? Check out our list of Easy Pasta Salad Recipes below:
1. MACARONI SALAD – MOM’S RECIPE!
From JULIE’S EATS AND TREATS :: Click HERE for the RECIPE A classic Macaroni Salad that is a hit for potlucks, parties and BBQs with both kids and adults. It’s quick, easy and delicious recipe which makes it the perfect side dish.
2. DILL PICKLE PASTA SALAD
From Spend With Pennies :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is literally my favorite pasta salad ever! In this creamy pasta salad recipe, dill pickles play a starring role and add tons of flavor and crunch! It is even better when it’s made ahead of time making it the perfect potluck dish!
3. JALAPENO POPPER MACARONI SALAD
From WONKY WONDERFUL :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Just in time for barbecue season, this Jalapeño Popper Macaroni Salad Recipe makes a fantastic side dish! Your favorite pasta salad made with cheddar, bacon and roasted jalapeños for a fun twist.
4. RANCH PASTA SALAD
From SALTY SIDE DISH :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with Peas is a delicious blend of Ranch seasoning, mayo, crunchy bacon and cheese to pull together this filling, tasty, and easy side salad. The soft mini pasta shells are the perfect filling combination with fresh or frozen peas.
5. BBQ RANCH PASTA SALAD
From Spicy Southern Kitchen :: Click HERE for the RECIPE BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad is sure to become a picnic favorite this spring and summer. It’s creamy and full of smoky flavor, sour cream, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, diced chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, and the wonderful crunch of corn chips.
6. AVOCADO PASTA SALAD
From Spend With Pennies :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Avocado Pasta Salad is a rich, creamy and totally delicious pasta salad loaded with fresh juicy tomatoes, crisp bacon and creamy avocados. This pasta salad uses avocados in place of mayonnaise for a dressing that is rich and creamy yet loaded with the benefits of avocado!
7. ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
From SPACESHIPS AND LASER BEAMS :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Quick and easy, this hearty “antipasto” Italian pasta salad is a summer favorite for us.
8. GREEK PASTA SALAD
From CHELSEA’S MESSY APRON :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Greek Pasta Salad is loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, red onion, green pepper, and plenty of feta cheese. A delicious and bright Greek-inspired vinaigrette coats this salad.
9. THE BEST PASTA SALAD
From IOWA GIRL EATS :: Click HERE for the RECIPE The BEST Pasta Salad is a family recipe that’s a hit at parties, potlucks, or as a zest side dish with dinner. Full of flavor and punch!
10. CHICKEN CAESAR PASTA SALAD
From JUST A TASTE :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Whip up a 20-minute meal in-a-bowl with a refreshing recipe for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad starring DIY dressing.
11. HAWAIIAN TORTELLINI SALAD
From The Slow Roasted Italian :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Hawaiian Tortellini Salad is a like a party in your mouth! It’s a blend of your favorite island flavors in a fabulously bright, sweet and tangy summer pasta salad. A simple recipe with an outstanding pineapple-ginger dressing, this will be a hit everywhere you take it.
12. CAPRESE PASTA SALAD
From THE CHUNKY CHEF :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Caprese pasta salad made with juicy tomatoes, marinated fresh mozzarella cheese, fragrant fresh basil, and a mouthwatering homemade Italian herb vinaigrette!
13. SHRIMP PASTA SALAD
From I WASH YOU DRY :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Shrimp Pasta Salad is a super simple pasta dish that’s perfect for potluck, BBQ’s, and parties!
14. Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta Salad With Roasted Vegetables
From FOODIE CRUSH :: Click HERE for the RECIPE This creamy pasta salad recipe skips the mayonnaise for a lush sauce made with almond milk and avocado to make an easy grilled vegetable pasta salad you’ll happily eat guilt-free.
15. TUNA MACARONI SALAD
From SPICY SOUTHERN KITCHEN :: Click HERE for the RECIPE Tuna Macaroni Salad is a classic potluck recipe and is so easy to throw together. It is creamy and delicious with lots of hard-boiled egg, peas, celery, onion, and sweet pickle relish.
Hope you enjoyed these Easy Pasta Salad Recipes! Before you go, here are a few more delicious recipes you might enjoy today!
- ORZO PASTA RECIPES
- BEST FRUIT SALAD RECIPES
- JALAPENO POPPER RECIPES
- BEST CHEESECAKE SALAD RECIPES
- QUICK & EASY WAYS TO MAKE LITTLE SMOKIES
- LOADED ITALIAN PASTA
- BEST APPETIZER RECIPES
- AMAZING CHICKEN DINNER RECIPES
- THE BEST COPYCAT RECIPES
- THE BEST FRUIT DIP RECIPES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Meet Shauna, Owner and Founder of The Best Blog Recipes! (and her adult daughter Bailey)
A Type A organizer, Shauna is at her happiest when she gets a new box of highlighters and gets to cross things off of her to do list.
Shauna lives just outside Salt Lake City with her husband Joe and sons Joey, 8, and Wylie, 6.
Shauna not only loves to cook food, but loves to eat it too! She is a firm believer in using easy ingredients to create delicious recipes that her family and friends can easily re-create at home.
No longer have pineapples growing commercially in Hawaii…pineapples in Hawaii now come most often from Mexico and Philippines. A gentle reminder that adding pineapples to any dish does not make it “Hawaiian”.
You can find tortellini in markets in HI. But you have to look carefully for a pineapple…sad but true.
Pineapples made it back to Mexico full circle…originally from Mexico, domesticated and grown in Hawaii in 19th century. Tomatoes are also native to Mexico. Who knew? We trace food origins in foodies club in an afterschool program.
I love your recipes
much too pretty to eat…but it was enjoyed! thanx