A party pasta salad has to do more than fill a bowl if you want people going back for another scoop. These 11 recipes bring different textures and flavors to the table, from crisp vegetables and tangy vinaigrettes to creamy dressings, smoky bacon, steak, shrimp, salmon, and chicken. Some work as hearty mains, while others slide easily beside grilled food or sandwiches. The range gives you plenty of ways to serve pasta salad without making every bowl taste or look the same.
Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Colorful and crisp without feeling flimsy, Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad takes 33 minutes and makes eight servings. Farfalle is tossed with grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, black olives, red onion, and a red wine vinegar dressing with Dijon and honey. The raw vegetables keep plenty of texture after chilling. Serve it at a cookout, picnic, or casual dinner when you want a pasta bowl that stays bright beside grilled food.
Get the Recipe: Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Creamy with a smoky edge, BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! turns the sandwich combination into an eight-serving bowl in 25 minutes. Pasta, crisp bacon, grape tomatoes, romaine, red onion, and parsley are coated in mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, and lemon juice. The recipe benefits from at least 30 minutes in the fridge, and the lettuce can be held back until serving. Bring it to a barbecue or serve it with burgers and grilled chicken.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Steak & Pasta Salad
Hearty enough to take the main spot, Steak & Pasta Salad comes together in 25 minutes and serves eight. Cooked steak, pasta, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts get tied together with a buttermilk ranch dressing. The mix gives each scoop plenty of substance without needing a hot entrée beside it. Chill it before serving for a party lunch, potluck, or warm-weather dinner.
Get the Recipe: Steak & Pasta Salad
Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Rich, smoky, and picnic-ready, Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad takes 50 minutes and makes six servings. Farfalle is mixed with bacon, cheddar, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, and green onions under a creamy mayonnaise and sour cream dressing with cider vinegar, smoked paprika, dill, and parsley. The cheese and bacon make it sturdier than a lighter vegetable pasta salad. Pack it for a picnic or set it beside ribs, burgers, or grilled chicken.
Get the Recipe: Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad
Bright and glossy instead of heavy, Italian Pasta Salad serves eight after 1 hour 32 minutes, including an hour of chilling. Fusilli, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil are coated in a homemade olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. Holding back some dressing keeps the pasta from drying out before serving. Make it ahead for a party spread, cookout, or picnic table.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Creamy, tangy, and familiar from the first scoop, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad takes 20 minutes and serves eight. Elbow macaroni and six hard-boiled eggs are folded into mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives. The deviled egg flavor gives this bowl a different angle from standard macaroni salad. Chill it before serving with burgers, fried chicken, sandwiches, or grilled meat.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Pesto Orzo Salad
Herby and smooth with plenty of texture, Pesto Orzo Salad takes 20 minutes and makes six servings. Orzo gets coated with basil pesto, mayonnaise, and Parmesan before mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice, pine nuts, and basil are folded in. A short chill helps the dressing settle around the pasta without losing the fresh toppings. Serve it beside steak, chicken, soup, or other dishes at a relaxed party table.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Briny, fresh, and substantial enough for lunch, Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp takes 35 minutes and serves eight. Orzo and shrimp are mixed with feta, chickpeas, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion, then dressed with olive oil, lemon, oregano, dill, parsley, and honey. Seafood and chickpeas give the bowl more weight than a simple side. Serve it chilled for lunch, a cookout, or a larger party spread.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Salmon Pasta Salad
Cool and creamy with a clean herb finish, Salmon Pasta Salad makes ten servings with orecchiette, cooked salmon, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon juice. The card lists 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking rather than a combined total time. Keeping the salmon in larger pieces gives the salad more texture while cucumber keeps the dressing from seeming too rich. Serve it for lunch, a picnic, or a chilled dinner.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pasta Salad
Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni-studded and colorful, Pizza Pasta Salad takes 20 minutes and serves eight. Fusilli is tossed with pepperoni, pepper Jack cheese, bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, Italian dressing, parsley, and Italian seasoning. The familiar pizza flavors make this one easy to place on a mixed party table where not everyone wants a vegetable-heavy salad. Serve it cold or cool beside grilled food, sandwiches, or other picnic sides.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Fresh-herbed and filling without leaning on a heavy mayo dressing, Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad takes 30 minutes and serves six. Bowtie pasta and diced rotisserie chicken are mixed with roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic, then coated in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar. It works well when leftover chicken needs a colder direction. Serve it for lunch, a casual dinner, or a party where the pasta salad needs to carry more of the plate.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad