Our Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes

Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Basil — Credit:
Ren Fuller

If you're feeding a crowd, there's nothing better than a big bowl of pasta salad. Whether it's for a summer cookout, a holiday buffet, or an anytime accompaniment to a sandwich, pasta salad works and always wins. Our pasta salad recipes can be made well in advance—and toted to a potluck or picnic—and are perfect for big-batch cooking throughout the week.

A chilled pasta salad holds up remarkably well in the fridge, too. You can make a big batch of noodles and mix in fresh vegetables without dressing the salad first. The beauty of a pasta salad is that you can edit and tweak the formula any way you wish—choose your favorite noodle, a blend of vegetables, a sprinkle of protein if need be, and sauce or dressing when you're ready to serve.

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Spaghetti Salad

Here's a colorful and different pasta salad. While we generally recommend a short pasta for this dish, we also love this rendition, complete with long, skinny strands of pasta. It's chock full of bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta.

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Pasta Salad With Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Chickpeas

tomato mozzarella pasta salad in white bowl — Ren Fuller

Our summer go-to, this vegetarian pasta salad is protein-packed thanks to the mozzarella and chickpeas. It's also mayo-free—a lemony-garlic-oregano dressing brings plenty of punchy flavor.

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03 of 13

Orecchiette, Celery, and Olive Salad With Ricotta Salata

Orecchiette means "little ears," but in this recipe, the pasta serves as little bowls for salty, soft cheese, crunchy celery, and briny olives.

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Eggplant Salad With Israeli Couscous and Basil

Tender Israeli couscous is united with sautéed eggplant and shallots, then finished with fresh basil. This flavorful salad can be on the table in 25 minutes.

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Tuna Macaroni Salad

A deli crowd-pleaser since the '70s, tuna macaroni salad is a versatile side dish or a simple lunch. Our version amps up the flavors with jalapeño and tangy buttermilk and keeps well in the refrigerator, ready to satisfy when hunger strikes.

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Pasta Salad With Peas and Summer Beans

Citrusy and cilantro-packed, this pasta salad pairs well with grilled chicken or tuna. And if you don't have cilantro, try it with mint, parsley, or a combination of fine herbs.

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Pasta Salad With Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil

If you're a fan of mayo-based pasta salad, we have you covered. This hearty, delicious vegetarian pasta salad has it all: There's crunch from the green beans and protein from the chickpeas, while red onion adds a bite and fresh basil brings a wonderful aroma and herbal freshness.

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08 of 13

Marinated-Artichoke and Green-Bean Pasta Salad

artichoke pasta salad green bean — Ren Fuller

For a fresh, light pasta salad, skip the mayonnaise and dress it with rich olive oil, artichoke brine, and lemon juice instead. You can make the pasta salad up to four hours in advance and eat it chilled or at room temperature.

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Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

This summer-fresh big-batch salad of corn and zucchini orzo makes enough salad to feed an army—and you won't believe the incredible texture orzo provides in lieu of usual pasta.

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Three-Bean Pasta Salad

A favorite for picnics since it's easy to transfer, this pasta salad is a satisfying choice for any meal thanks to canned pinto beans and chickpeas; the green beans bring crunch and color. You can use any small shell pasta for this recipe.

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Soba Salad With Grilled Eggplant and Tomato

You'll love this vegetarian take. We swapped regular pasta for soba noodles (often made with buckwheat flour) and packed it with veggies in all shapes, colors, and textures to create a nutritious salad that's anything but boring.

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Pasta Salad With Roasted Broccoli

Here's another make-ahead pasta salad recipe. You can refrigerate this dish for up to a day for optimal freshness. The best part? A high proportion of vegetables turns this pasta into a light and nutritious meal.

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Tomato and Basil Pasta

This is the fastest summer pasta in our repertoire—and it's a meal we can't wait to make as soon as tomato season starts. Consider it a caprese salad turned into a pasta, featuring just a few simple ingredients for an easy meal any time.