Cool, creamy, and full of contrasting textures, pasta salads are a mainstay of summer. While we all have our go-to recipes and store-bought standbys, a new recipe can shake up your routine. Here are nine pasta salads perfect for the warm weather months.
Calistoga Pasta Salad
Calistoga Pasta Salad is a salad known for its complex variety of tastes and textures. There’s a bit of earthy, savory, sweet, and salty all in one. The base of pasta acts as the perfect canvas for the menagerie of ingredients you’ll get on each and every forkful. Curious about the recipe? Then click the link here!
Honey Mustard Pasta Salad
Honey Mustard Pasta Salad is satisfying not just for its sharp and slightly sweet drressing, but it is a hit because of all of the crunchy veggies. The macaroni soaks up the flavors from the dressing and the veggies, giving you a pasta salad that might outshine your favorite go-to. Get the recipe by clicking the link here.
Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad
We know of sweet and sour chicken, but do you know of Sweet and Sour Pasta? It’s definitely a pasta salad that should be on your radar! Macaroni pairs up with broccoli, cucumber, onion, and bell pepper. Both the veggies and the pasta get coated in a savory vinaigrette that’s balanced by the perfect amount of sweetness. A bit sweet and a bit sour, it’s the refreshing pasta you need to have to cut through a hot, humid day! Want to make the recipe? Then click the link here.
Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
Grilled Pasta Salad is the poster child of the summer. Fresh in-season veggies are grilled to get the perfect amount of char on them. They’re then chopped up into bite-sized pieces, mixed with the ditalini pasta, and coated in a zippy vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese. The bright flavors of the vegetables are made into a perfect meal thanks to the carby comfort of the pasta, making this a pasta salad that may steal the spotlight! Want to make the recipe? Click the link here!
Pink Cadillac Pasta Salad
Pink Cadillac Pasta Salad has an intriguing name, but it’s packed with well-known pasta salad ingredients like onion, celery, bell pepper, and macaroni. Catalina dressing, pickle relish, and mayonnaise work together to create a tangy dressing with a touch of sweetness. The soft pink hue of the pasta is unique to bring people to the bowl, but it’s its flavor that will keep people returning for more. Get the recipe by clicking the link here.
Rainbow Pasta Salad
You can literally taste the rainbow here with this veggie-packed Rainbow Pasta Salad. Red onion, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, corn, zucchini, and cucumber make the colorful veggies base for the orzo and fresh herb dressing. Tossed until well combined, this pasta salad is the perfect way to brighten any dinner plate. If you want to make the recipe, then click the link here!
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad is a perfect way to utilize that leftover rotisserie chicken or a perfect way to create an all-in-one meal. Pasta, arugula, diced chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, and onion are the textural and flavorful main stars of this salad. A from-scratch super green pesto is poured and tossed over the salad, giving you the perfect pesto flavor with each and every bite. To get the full details on the recipe, then click the link here!
Layered Spring Pasta Salad
Layered Spring Pasta Salad can be made any time of year, don’t let the name fool you. Peas are just one of the layers which includes ingredients like romaine, soybeans, ham artichoke hearts, radishes, green onions, shallots, and Parmesan cheese. The layered salad gets coated with a creamy citrus dressing that covers every inch to give you a satisfying salad that you’ll crave! Find the ingredient list and step-by-step instructions by clicking the link here.
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad has all of the elements of the classic sandwich. Hearty cavatappi acts as the “bread” to all of the chopped sandwich ingredients of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers. A kiss of the creamy from-scratch Italian dressing makes for a pasta salad that outshines its sandwich inspiration. Find the recipe over here.