20 Cold Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long

by Heidi Larsen Published: Jun 26, 2025

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Easy classic pasta salads are the trademark of summer BBQs, picnics, pool parties, and potlucks. These 20 unique pasta salad variations will keep your picnic table full all summer long.

20 Cold Pasta Salad Recipes foodiecrush.com

Skip the Deli Counter This Summer!

Photo of Heidi from FoodieCrush

Summer just wouldn’t be the same without a variety of cold pasta salads making the recipe rotation for summer party donations. Sure, it’s easy to pick up a pint-to-go from the deli counter, but homemade pasta salads are so much better than the pre-made glop.

No clue what to put in your pasta salad? After taking a look at my salads and sides recipe archives to see if it was true, I realized that hot damn! I DO have a lot of pasta salads shared here on the blog.

So what are you waiting for? Put a stock pot of water on to boil (don’t forget to generously season with salt), and let’s pasta some salad.

Enjoy! Heidi

1

Everyone’s Favorite Caprese Pasta Salad

If there’s one pasta salad you’ll be making on repeat all summer long, it’s this caprese pasta salad bursting with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. It’s fast, it’s simple, and it’s the most popular pasta salad on my site! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

2

Italian Pasta Salad with tomatoes, salami, cucumber, mozzarella, and black olives

Classic Italian Pasta Salad

Rotini pasta is tossed with chopped fresh vegetables, black olives, Genoa salami, mozzarella, and homemade Italian dressing for the simplest – yet tastiest! – pasta salad.

3

Tahini Pasta Salad with Halloumi Snapeas and Radishes foodiecrush.com

Tahini Pasta Salad with Halloumi

This tahini pasta salad with grilled halloumi, sugar snap peas, radishes, arugula, and mint is loaded with bright and fresh flavors and a creamy tahini dressing, making it a delicious vegetarian lunch or potluck side dish.

4

Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumbers and Artichoke Hearts | foodiecrush.com

Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumbers and Artichoke Hearts

This Greek pasta salad will be your go-to summer salad with tangy feta cheese, kalamata olives and a homemade dressing that tops crunchy cucumbers, red peppers and artichoke hearts.

5

Antipasto Pasta Salad in bowl foodiecrush.com

Antipasto Pasta Salad

This Italian antipasto pasta salad is made with fusilli pasta, chunks of Italian cold cuts, provolone cheese, pickled giardiniera vegetables, tangy green olives, and pepperoncini that rivals those found at any Italian deli.

6

Green Goddess Pasta Salad foodiecrush.com

Creamy Green Goddess Pasta Salad

This green goddess pasta salad is bright and tangy, cool and creamy, and loaded with green veggies. It's vegetarian too, making it an excellent contribution to any potluck, picnic, or BBQ.

7

Mexican Corn Pasta Salad foodiecrush.com

Mexican Corn Pasta Salad

This super creamy Mexican corn pasta salad is inspired by the popular Mexican street food and also one of my favorite dips. It's perfect side dish to enjoy for a cookout or outdoor lunch, and can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

8

Nicoise Pasta Salad foodiecrush.com

Nicoise Pasta Salad

Made with chicken instead of tuna, this Nicoise pasta salad is a fun spin on a classic Nicoise salad. It's light, fresh, and colorful, and the perfect dish to make easy spring or summer lunches or brunch.

9

Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad | foodiecrush.co

Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad

This fresh and easy pasta salad combines the fresh flavors of strawberries, mint, and basil with a simply sweetened balsamic dressing for a pasta-fied spin on the classic caprese.

10

Pesto Pasta Salad | foodiecrush.com

Pesto Pasta Salad

This cold pesto pasta salad adds crunchy bites of bell pepper and sweet peas to make a quick and easy weeknight or potluck salad.

11

Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables | foodiecrush.com #salad #pastasalad #almondmilk #vegetable #avocado #creamy

Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Use a blender to cream the avocado with the almond milk for a smooth and healthy sauce that coats the cooked pasta. Add more almond milk as needed.

12

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado | foodiecrush.com #pasta #salad #BLT #bacon #tomato #avocado #recipes

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

This easy, creamy BLT pasta salad recipe is loaded with healthy tomatoes, arugula, and avocado, plus crispy bacon that’s all topped with a super simple-to-make Ranch-style dressing made with mayo and Greek yogurt.

13

Mediterranean Orzo Salad foodiecrush.com #salad #orzo #olives #mediterannean #pasta #pastasalad #healthy #recipes

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Crunchy fresh vegetables and leafy spinach pair with orzo pasta and briny olives and feta cheese for an easy pasta salad perfect for meal prep or parties.

14

Easy Kale Caesar Pasta Salad | foodiecrush.com #pasta #salad #easy #recipes

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

This 5-ingredient pasta salad recipe comes together in minutes and packs tons of flavor with all of the flavors of a traditional Caesar salad plus sweet roasted tomatoes.

15

How to Make Classic Macaroni Salad | foodiecrush.com

Classic Macaroni Salad

This simple macaroni salad recipe made with egg, dressed in a creamy but light mayonnaise dressing, is just right for any picnic or barbecue.

16

Spaghetti Pasta Salad

Classic Italian flavors make this super easy spaghetti salad with pepperoni, veggies, and Italian dressing a potluck favorite everyone will love.

17

Creamy Tuscan Pasta Salad

When cooking your pasta, be sure to add a generous dose of kosher salt to the cooking water once it’s come to a boil. This step flavors the pasta as it cooks, and when added after the water has come to a boil, won’t pit the bottom of your pan.

18

Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts and Feta foodiecrush.com

Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts and Feta

Teeming with fresh herbs, bright lemon, tangy feta, crunchy pistachios, artichoke hearts, and tender asparagus, this orzo salad is the perfect spring side dish.

19

Homemade Bay Shrimp and Macaroni Salad with homemade light dressing | foodiecrush.com

Shrimp Macaroni Salad

A simple mayonnaise dressing lightly coats the classic ingredients of homemade shrimp pasta salad for an easy side dish made perfect for every barbecue, picnic, or potluck.

20

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing | foodiecrush.com #chinese #chicken #salad

Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad

Simple and refreshing, this copycat recipe is based on my favorite salads from Santa Monica's Feast from the East and California Chicken Cafe.

If you make any of these recipes, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

My Favorite Mains to Serve with Pasta Salad

More Summer Recipe Round-Ups to Check Out Now

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Comments

Rate & Comment Cancel reply

phyllis

Tue, Aug 6, 2019 at 2:26 pm

OMG — which recipes should I chose first: pasta salads or caprese ??? I want them all. Thank you and I am glad there is still summer time to make all.

Reply
- Ashley @ Foodie Crush
  
  Thu, Aug 8, 2019 at 11:38 am
  
  BOTH! Enjoy. Thanks Phyllis!
  
  Reply
Phi - SweetPhi Blog

Sun, Jun 2, 2019 at 8:02 am

Thank you so much for including my tortellini pasta salad!! I’ve gotten so many good ideas from this awesome list, going to go make a few different ones this weekend (it’s a great way for my son to get some veggies in)!

Reply