These delicious summer pasta salads are perfect for picnics, BBQs, and other summer parties! If you like pasta salads, you’ll love these recipes.
How to Make Great Summer Pasta Salads
A great summer pasta salad has fresh flavors and perfectly cooked pasta.
Bronze-die cut pasta is best for pasta salads – it’s has a rougher texture and will allow dressings and vinaigrettes to stick to it.
Choosing in-season produce will yield tasty and flavorful pasta salads. Some seasonal produce that works well in pasta salads includes bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, corn, salad greens, and basil.
Summer Pasta Salads
Israeli Couscous Salad with Zucchini, Mozzarella, & Tomatoes
This Israeli couscous salad with zucchini, mozzarella, and tomatoes is hearty and full of bright flavors. It’s a delicious side dish or lunch option.
Risoni Salad
More than just your ordinary side dish, Risoni Salad can also be enjoyed as a light meal on its own. A burst of refreshing flavors in every bite — and it only takes 25 minutes to prepare!
Vegan Greek Pasta Salad
This vegan Greek pasta salad is easy to make with simple, healthy ingredients like pasta, olives, cucumber, red onion, tomato, herbs and tofu feta. This recipe is oil-free and can be gluten-free.
Out Of This World Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Bright, flavorful orzo pasta salad, packed with summer’s freshest and best ingredients: chopped arugula and radicchio, basil, garlic, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
This healthy pesto pasta salad recipe is full of flavor. The roasted veggies, grilled corn, and homemade pesto make this a standout summer recipe. This recipe is perfect for a BBQ or picnic and can be served warm or cold.
Greek Fresh Pasta Salad
One of our favorite beautiful salads is this Greek Fresh Pasta Salad with rainbow veggies and chickpeas. Drizzled with awesome homemade vinaigrette. Delicious and easy recipe!
Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad
This kid-friendly pasta salad is packed with lots of fresh veggies, which makes it a healthy, filling, colorful, and delicious meal that your child will love! Perfect to be served for lunch, dinner, picnics, and for lunchboxes.
Healthy Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta Salad - Easy dinners
This healthy leftover roast chicken pasta salad gives you a way to use up your roast chicken to create a fresh and healthy dish full of herbs and flavor.
Caesar Pasta Salad
Easy and delicious Caesar pasta salad perfect for picnics, grilling, potlucks, or to be served for dinner! It has all the creamy goodness of a classic Caesar salad, but it’s made with pasta to make it more filling, and extra veg for brightness, freshness, and extra flavor!
What are your favorite pasta salads?
Tips for Making Summer Pasta Salads
Inspired to make your own summer pasta salad? Here are some tips for making great salads.
- Choose high-quality, seasonal fruit. Buying local and seasonal fruit and vegetables will not only taste the best but it will be cheaper.
- If you use salad greens, use a salad spinner to get all the water off. It makes the leaves hold dressing or vinaigrette better.
- Think about the texture. Make sure to have a balance of crunchy and creamy ingredients.
- Don’t forget the salt. Sea salt and kosher salt are both great in salads and bring out the natural flavors of the food.
- Use bronze die-cut pasta that’s made from durum wheat – it’s the highest quality pasta.
- Taste as you go along and adjust seasonings as necessary.
More Healthy Food Ideas
If you like healthy recipes, be sure to check out our other articles.