The Ultimate Collection of Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

Name: 10 Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 Tortellini Pasta Salad; 1 Mexican Pasta Salad; 1 Italian Pasta Salad; 1 Seafood Pasta Salad; 1 Basil Lemon Pasta Salad; 1 Bow Tie Pasta Salad; 1 Incredible Veggie Pasta Salad; 1 The Best Spaghetti Salad; 1 Macaroni Salad

20 minutes

Jump to Recipe

By: Julie Blanner5 Comments
Updated: 3/23/23

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These easy pasta salad recipes just might be the ultimate summertime food. They are fast, flexible, and they get more delicious by the day.

Find 10 of the BEST pasta salad recipes right here – and don’t forget to pin and save for later so you don’t miss any of these delicious combos!

A graphic image featuring four different bowls of pasta salad, headline reads "10 easy pasta salad recipes" across the center.

Learning how to make pasta salad might just be your ticket to getting invited to the best summer parties. In fact, when you find one you like, it can be a recipe that goes immediately into the “keeper” files… the kind of recipe that party guests will beg you to share!

A cold pasta salad recipe is an iconic tradition of American summer. It’s a side dish, it’s a meal, it’s a crowd pleaser, it’s all the things.

They are full of vibrant flavors, they travel well, and they get better in the fridge by the minute – marinating in a delicious dressing. What’s not to love?

It’s true, I love pasta in every format. I’ve shown you how to make fresh pasta from scratch, egg noodles, and reader-fave recipes like this white wine pasta sauce, lemon basil pasta, pesto pasta, a traditional fettuccine alfredo and so many more.

While I could drone on and on about pasta salad recipes almost as often as I can eat them (and that would be brunch, lunch, snacks, dinner, picnics, potlucks and more…) today I wanted to round up all of my favorites for you.

This post is a great one to save and refer to down the road, whenever you need inspiration! We’re sharing the best tips, tricks and secrets to creating pasta salad recipes you’re going to love.

A white bowl full of spaghetti pasta salad.

The Secret? Start with a Great Homemade Dressing

You can make a great pasta salad with a bottle of store bought dressing. But once you see how easy it is to make your own homemade dressings, you’ll never go back!

Make Ahead – Pasta salad is even better on the second day, after the dressing and ingredients mesh.
Wholesome – With a homemade dressing, you’re creating a customized, colorful salad experience with an explosion of flavor! Not only does it taste better, but you get to control the ingredients. No more strange preservatives and added sodium. Fresh is always best!
Fresh, Vibrant Flavor – I love homemade salad dressings (in fact, I have a complete vinaigrette guide) and I’ve shared many with you in the past – be sure to check out all those delicious dressing options!

A white bowl filled with cooked tortellini pasta, and a bottle of pasta salad dressing being poured over the top.

Table of Contents

Tips

Use a large pot for your noodles. You want to give them plenty of room to cook, separated, in the lightly salted water.
Check out this guide to How to Stop Water from Boiling Over – it’s so handy for pasta and potatoes!
Cook your noodles al dente. I repeat: do not overcook your pasta! Especially when the cooked pasta will spend extra time soaking in a dressing, you don’t need to cook it too long.
Rinse noodles in cold water before combining them with your pasta salad dressing.
Use a high quality olive oil. When you’re making such a simple dressing, the individual ingredients will shine!
How to Store Pasta Salad – If you are making it ahead, you can store in a covered bowl, in the refrigerator, for up to a week.
Same goes for your pasta salad dressings! In fact, if it is just an oil and vinegar dressing then it will keep for up to two weeks!
Refresh Pasta Salad – If the pasta seems dry after marinating, add more pasta salad dressing and stir! You can also leave a little water when draining the pasta to keep it moist and use less dressing.
Adding cheese? Grate it fresh. You’ll never regret this extra step! Fresh grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese are the hallmarks of any great pasta dish in my eyes!

A white colander full of cooked tortellini pasta, with water flowing into it from a faucet.

A variety of gold cake pans, loaf pans and muffin baking pan sizes laid out on a marble surface.

Tools to Use

Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
Food Processor
Mandoline (you can also chop by hand)
A glass cruet with stopper for storing dressing or your olive oils and red wine vinegar, etc.
Weck storage jars with lids
White Enameled Colander
Oil and vinegar dispenser with gold lid
Clear glass storage bottles with lids

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More About Pasta Salad Dressing

If you’re looking for more in-depth detail about homemade pasta salad dressings, please head to this post where I discuss at length! It will really help you understand the basis for a scratch dressing and you’ll quickly be an expert.

Pasta salad dressing typically is made with either an oil and vinegar dressing or with a creamier base like mayonnaise.
I tend to go with a vinaigrette because it is so easy to change up the flavor combinations with different oils and vinegar. It also stays fresh for longer, either in your fridge or at room temperature when serving.
Bonus? It is also a lighter dressing with less calories.
If you prefer creamy pasta salad dressings, you can always add mayo, sour cream or Greek yogurt to the recipe, usually substituting it for the oil in the recipe.