Store-bought pasta salad can be dry, overly sweet, or coated in so much dressing that every bite lands the same. These 11 recipes build their bowls around scratch vinaigrettes, herb-filled creamy dressings, crisp vegetables, cheese, bacon, chicken, steak, salmon, and shrimp. Some are sturdy enough for lunch or dinner, while others slide easily beside grilled food at a picnic or cookout. Once chilled and set on the table, they are the bowls people scoop first and circle back to before the rest of the spread is gone.
Italian Pasta Salad
Built on fusilli and a scratch vinaigrette, Italian Pasta Salad combines cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and basil. The recipe lists 1 hour 32 minutes including chilling and makes 8 servings. Holding back part of the dressing keeps the pasta glossy instead of dry, which gives it a clear edge over a deli-counter tub. Set it beside grilled meat, shrimp, or a larger make-ahead spread.
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Salmon Pasta Salad
Using cooked salmon and chilled orecchiette, Salmon Pasta Salad comes together with 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking for 10 servings. Grated cucumber keeps the sour cream and mayonnaise dressing loose, while dill, parsley, and lemon add a fresh finish. It has enough protein to move beyond the side-dish slot that store-bought pasta salad usually occupies. Pack it for lunch, bring it to a picnic, or spoon it alongside grilled steak.
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Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Smoky bacon and diced cheddar give Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad more substance than the usual pale bowl from the prepared-food case. Farfalle, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, and green onions are coated in a mayonnaise and sour cream dressing seasoned with cider vinegar, herbs, and smoked paprika. The recipe lists 50 minutes and 6 servings, followed by a recommended hour of chilling. Bring it to a barbecue or potluck where a sturdy side is needed.
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Small orzo pasta gives Pesto Orzo Salad a softer, scoopable base for basil pesto, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and green onions. The recipe takes 20 minutes, makes 6 servings, and calls for about 30 minutes of chilling before the bowl goes out. Toasted pine nuts and fresh basil finish it with texture that packaged pasta salad rarely keeps. Pair it with grilled chicken, burgers, or other cookout mains.
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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Modeled after the filling of a deviled egg, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad folds chopped egg whites and elbow macaroni into a smooth yolk dressing with mayonnaise, relish, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives break up the creaminess. It takes 20 minutes and makes 8 servings. Keep it chilled for a picnic, barbecue, or potluck where plain macaroni salad would disappear into the background.
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BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Crisp romaine and juicy tomatoes keep BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! from turning into another heavy, one-note pasta bowl. Bacon, red onion, and parsley are tossed with pasta in a dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. The recipe lists 25 minutes and 8 servings, plus at least 30 minutes to chill. Add the lettuce close to table time, then bring it to a barbecue or pair it with grilled chicken.
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Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
A shortcut rotisserie chicken turns Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad into a 30-minute dish that makes 6 servings. Bowtie pasta, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic are coated in a Greek yogurt dressing with lemon juice and white wine vinegar. The tangy, herb-filled dressing keeps it from resembling the sugary tubs at the grocery store. It works as a main lunch, a make-ahead dinner, or a side for a larger cookout plate.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Packed with shrimp, feta, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and sundried tomatoes, Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp covers far more ground than a basic cold pasta side. A lemon and olive oil dressing with oregano, dill, parsley, and honey ties the orzo to the vegetables. The recipe takes 35 minutes and makes 8 servings. Bring it out for lunch, dinner, or a cookout when the pasta salad needs enough substance to hold its own.
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Steak & Pasta Salad
With cooked steak already on hand, Steak & Pasta Salad takes 25 minutes and makes 8 servings. Pasta, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and optional candied walnuts are tossed with a homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. That mix of beef, greens, cheese, and vegetables leaves store-bought pasta salad looking especially thin. Put it down as a full lunch or use it to stretch leftover steak into a larger meal.
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Pepperoni and cubed pepper Jack turn Pizza Pasta Salad into a 20-minute, 8-serving bowl with the recognizable parts of a pizza night. Fusilli, bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, parsley, Italian seasoning, and vinaigrette fill out the mixture without relying on a thick creamy dressing. The recipe recommends at least 1 hour of chilling, so the seasoning can settle into the pasta. Make it a day ahead for a cookout or potluck.
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Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Colorful vegetables run through Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad, which combines farfalle with grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow summer squash, black olives, and parsley. A homemade red wine vinaigrette with garlic, Italian seasoning, honey, and Dijon coats the pasta without weighing it down. The recipe takes 33 minutes and makes 8 servings. Chill it for a cookout, picnic, or weekday lunch when a grocery-store container will not do.
Get the Recipe: Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad