Pasta salad season is here, and this list is here to make sure you’re ready for it.
From a creamy elote-inspired favorite to a herby pesto classic, these are the best summer pasta salads to keep in your rotation all season long.
Most of these recipes can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, which makes them perfect for busy weeks, backyard cookouts and neighborhood potlucks alike.
Whether you’re serving them as a side dish alongside grilled meats or leaning on them as a full meal, they all deliver on flavor without a lot of fuss.
Pick one to start and let me know how it goes!
7. Cold Asian Noodle Salad
This sesame soy dressing is so good, you’ll want to put it on everything!
Rice noodles, shredded cabbage, bell pepper, scallions, fresh cilantro and tender white meat chicken all come together in a creamy, garlicky sauce that’s impossible to stop eating.
It’s also gluten free, which makes it a great option for guests with dietary restrictions.
Make it ahead and let it chill. The flavors only get better as it sits.
6. Mexican Macaroni Salad
Forget everything you think you know about macaroni salad. This one is in a completely different league.
We’re tossing elbow macaroni with corn, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion and cilantro in a creamy dressing made with salsa, sour cream, mayo and lime juice.
The result is a bold, flavorful pasta salad that pairs well with basically anything you’re putting on the grill. You could also serve it as a main course by tossing in some grilled chicken or steak.
Better yet, it tastes even better the next day, which makes it perfect for prepping ahead.
Bring this one to your next barbecue and watch it disappear.
5. Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Greek Feta
Some recipes just never get old, and this Mediterranean pasta salad is one of them.
We’re tossing short cut pasta with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and plenty of tangy Greek feta in a simple Italian dressing.
It’s one of those recipes that comes together fast but tastes like you put real effort in.
Serve it alongside grilled chicken or fish, or bring it to a potluck where it’ll hold its own against anything else on the table.
Make it a day ahead. The flavors are even better once they’ve had time to settle.
4. Creamy Salmon and Dill Pasta Salad
A pasta salad with roasted salmon in it? Yes, and it belongs on this list.
Fresh, flaky salmon gets folded into pasta with crunchy celery, red onion and a light, creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and loads of fresh dill.
There’s no heavy cream or dairy in the dressing, which keeps it feeling fresh and light even in the heat of summer. It works beautifully as a side dish or a full meal on its own.
Serve it cold with a green salad and crusty bread for a low-effort dinner that still feels special.
If you have fresh dill growing in your garden, this is exactly what to do with it.
3. Chicken Macaroni Salad
This chicken macaroni salad is the one that always gets scraped to the bottom of the bowl.
Macaroni, cubed chicken, bell peppers, celery and red onion get coated in a creamy, tangy dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard and lemon juice.
It’s filling, it travels well and it’s just as good the next day.
Rotisserie chicken makes it easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, and the whole thing can be prepped a day or two in advance if you’re planning for a crowd.
Serve it as a side or as a main dish. Either way, there won’t be much left over.
2. Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
If you’re obsessed with elote, this pasta salad is going to be your new summer staple.
It takes everything you love about Mexican street corn and turns it into a creamy, satisfying pasta dish loaded with corn, avocado, jalapeño, scallions, cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
The dressing is made with mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and chili powder, and it brings all of those elote flavors together in a way that’s hard to beat.
Fresh, frozen or canned corn all work here, so there’s no reason not to make this one all season long.
Don’t be surprised if this becomes the most requested dish of the summer.
1. Cold Pesto Pasta Salad
This is the pasta salad that earns its spot at the top of every summer spread, year after year.
We’re tossing farfalle pasta in a homemade basil pesto sauce along with fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella pearls.
The pesto is the kind of recipe that’s been made hundreds of times over, and it shows. It’s bright, herby and rich without being heavy, and it works beautifully with the sweet corn and juicy tomatoes.
This pasta salad is just as good cold straight from the fridge as it is served at room temperature, which makes it ideal for outdoor entertaining.
Make it ahead, keep it in the fridge, and serve it with whatever you like. It never disappoints.
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