When a bowl of pasta salad has to do more than sit beside the burgers, it needs enough going on to become the plate’s center. These 9 recipes cover creamy, smoky, meaty, herby, and bright options, from bacon-loaded bowls to salmon, steak, chicken, eggs, and pesto orzo. The list keeps the make-ahead chill of pasta salad but adds bigger add-ins, stronger dressings, and enough range for lunches, potlucks, and warm-weather dinners.
Pizza Pasta Salad
Built with fusilli, pepperoni, pepper Jack, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, Italian dressing, and seasoning, Pizza Pasta Salad turns pizza-night flavors into an 8-serving pasta bowl in 20 minutes. The pasta is boiled, rinsed, tossed with the chopped add-ins, then chilled for at least 1 hour so the dressing settles into the twists. Put it out for BBQs, potlucks, or lunches when a plain side salad will not feel like enough.
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Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
With 1 pound of farfalle, grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow summer squash, olives, parsley, and a homemade red wine vinaigrette, Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad brings 8 servings together in 33 minutes. The red onion softens in the dressing while the pasta cools, then the vegetables get folded in at the end. Keep this one for hot days, cookouts, or a fridge-ready lunch that still has crunch.
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BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Finished with a mayo-sour cream dressing, crisp bacon, grape tomatoes, romaine, red onion, and parsley, BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! takes 25 minutes and makes 8 servings. The pasta is cooled before the dressing goes on, then the bowl chills for at least 30 minutes so the bacon and tomatoes settle into the creamy base. Bring it to barbecues, pack it for lunch, or make it when sandwich flavors need more fork-and-plate energy.
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Classic Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe
Mixed with farfalle, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, sharp cheddar, bacon, green onions, mayo, sour cream, cider vinegar, smoked paprika, parsley, and dill, Classic Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe makes 6 servings in 50 minutes. The dressing uses bacon fat for extra smoky depth, which gives the bowl more weight than a standard picnic pasta. Use it for long afternoons, potluck spreads, or a make-ahead lunch that can carry the plate.
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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
For the deviled-egg crowd, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad combines elbow macaroni, 6 hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives in 20 minutes. It makes 8 servings, with the yolks mashed into the dressing before the chopped whites and pasta go in. Chill it until the bowl is cold, then bring it out beside burgers, sandwiches, or grilled chicken.
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Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Using 2 cups of diced rotisserie chicken, bowtie pasta, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, garlic, and a Greek yogurt dressing, Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad makes 6 servings in 30 minutes. The dressing is mixed separately with lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and a little sugar, then added about 30 minutes before the bowl hits the table. Keep it for quick dinners, meal prep, or potlucks where a chicken salad needs more substance.
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Steak & Pasta Salad
Steakhouse flavors show up cold in Steak & Pasta Salad, a 25-minute, 8-serving mix of cooked steak, pasta, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and buttermilk ranch dressing. The pasta is cooled first, then tossed with the steak and vegetables before walnuts and extra blue cheese finish the top. This one works for leftover steak nights when the main-dish slot still needs something cool.
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Salmon Pasta Salad
Made with 8 ounces of cooked salmon, chilled orecchiette, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon juice, Salmon Pasta Salad gives 10 servings with 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of pasta time. The cucumber drains first so the creamy dressing does not turn watery, then the salmon is folded in gently to keep bigger pieces. Save it for lunch, summer dinner, or leftover salmon that needs a fresh second round.
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Small pasta does the heavy lifting in Pesto Orzo Salad, a 20-minute bowl with orzo, basil pesto, mayonnaise, Parmesan, pearl mozzarella, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice, pine nuts, and basil. It makes 6 servings, chills for about 30 minutes, then gets toasted pine nuts and chopped basil before the bowl lands on the table. Pair it with chicken, steak, or soup when the meal needs a fuller pasta side.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad