A summer cookout side has to hold its own beside burgers, grilled chicken, and everything else competing for plate space. These 11 pasta salads bring in crisp vegetables, herbs, cheese, bacon, chicken, steak, shrimp, and salmon, with dressings that range from creamy to bright and tangy. Some come together in 20 to 35 minutes, while others include extra chilling or prep time. The lineup covers lighter vegetable-heavy bowls and more substantial options that can carry lunch or fill out a cookout table.
Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Fresh summer vegetables give Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad plenty of color and texture across eight servings in 33 minutes. Farfalle is mixed with grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow summer squash, black olives, parsley, and red onion. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, honey, Dijon, and garlic form the dressing. It fits naturally beside grilled meats when the cookout table needs a pasta side that leans heavily on vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Built around rotini and rotisserie chicken, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad makes eight servings with a total time of 1 hour 2 minutes. Caesar dressing, lemon zest, lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon, Parmesan, romaine, and garlic croutons fill out the bowl. The mix brings familiar Caesar flavors into a pasta salad substantial enough for lunch. Set it out with grilled chicken or burgers when one side needs to cover both greens and pasta.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Steak & Pasta Salad
With cooked steak folded into the bowl, Steak & Pasta Salad serves eight in 25 minutes and can stand closer to a main dish than a typical side. Pasta, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts add layers of texture. A dressing of mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon, lemon, herbs, and garlic ties it together. Bring it to a cookout where a hearty pasta salad can fill the gap between grilled meat and lighter sides.
Get the Recipe: Steak & Pasta Salad
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Deviled egg flavors move into pasta form with Deviled Egg Pasta Salad, an eight-serving dish ready in 20 minutes. Elbow macaroni and hard-boiled eggs are joined by mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives. The eggs make the salad more substantial while the vegetables add crunch. It works beside burgers, barbecue, or grilled chicken when the spread needs a creamy pasta option with familiar picnic flavors.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Taking its cue from a BLT sandwich, BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! makes eight servings in 25 minutes. Pasta, bacon, grape tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onion, and parsley are coated in a creamy dressing with mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice, and garlic powder. The bacon and tomatoes give the bowl a recognizable cookout-friendly combination, while romaine adds freshness. Serve it alongside burgers or grilled chicken when sandwich flavors sound better in a cold pasta side.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Pesto Orzo Salad
Basil pesto gives Pesto Orzo Salad its main flavor, with six servings ready in 20 minutes. Orzo is mixed with mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, pine nuts, and fresh basil. The small pasta and bite-sized add-ins make the salad easy to scoop onto crowded cookout plates. Pair it with grilled chicken, steak, or vegetables when the table needs a cheesy, herb-forward pasta option without a long prep window.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Using cooked chicken keeps Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad practical, with six servings ready in 30 minutes. Bow tie pasta is combined with rotisserie chicken, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic, then dressed with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar. The chicken gives the bowl enough substance for lunch while still fitting beside grilled food. Bring it to a cookout when you want one pasta salad that can cover both a side dish and a fuller serving.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Shrimp and chickpeas give Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp plenty of substance across eight servings in 35 minutes. Orzo, feta, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion join the shrimp, while olive oil, lemon juice, dill, parsley, oregano, and honey season the mixture. The seafood and vegetables keep the salad from feeling pasta-heavy. It suits a summer cookout especially well when the table needs a cooler dish that can double as lunch.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Salmon Pasta Salad
Cooked salmon turns Salmon Pasta Salad into a ten-serving bowl with more protein than most picnic sides. Orecchiette is combined with salmon and cucumber, then coated with sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon juice. The creamy dressing is balanced by herbs and citrus, while the cucumber adds a fresh contrast to the pasta and fish. Set it out for a larger cookout when one chilled dish needs enough substance to work as either a side or a fuller portion.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pasta Salad
Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni and pepper Jack give Pizza Pasta Salad familiar pizza flavors in an eight-serving dish ready in 20 minutes. Fusilli is mixed with bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, Italian dressing, parsley, and Italian seasoning alongside the meat and cheese. The short total time makes it easy to add to a cookout menu without much extra planning. Serve it with grilled burgers or chicken when the side table could use something casual, cheesy, and easy to scoop.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad
Loaded with vegetables and cheese, Italian Pasta Salad makes eight servings with a total time of 1 hour 32 minutes. Fusilli is joined by cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, and Dijon form the dressing. The mix gives a cookout table a classic cold pasta option with plenty of color, crunch, and cheese in every serving.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad