A burger can sound like too much once the day turns hot and the grill starts looking optional. These 11 pasta salads offer enough substance to stand in for the usual cookout main, with steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon, bacon, eggs, cheese, and sturdy vegetables mixed through the pasta. Creamy dressings cover the richer end, while pesto, vinaigrette, lemon, and fresh herbs keep several bowls lighter. The result is a spread of cold lunches, make-ahead dinners, and cookout sides that can take the burger’s place without leaving the plate unfinished.
Steak & Pasta Salad
Cool and steakhouse-style, Steak & Pasta Salad turns leftover beef into an eight-serving bowl in 25 minutes. Farfalle, sliced steak, spinach, cherry tomatoes, corn, radishes, blue cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts are coated in a buttermilk ranch dressing. The meat and cheese give it enough weight to stand in for a burger, while the vegetables keep each serving varied. Chill it for 20 minutes and serve it as lunch or a cookout main.
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Pizza Pasta Salad
Built for anyone who would rather eat pizza cold than fire up the grill, Pizza Pasta Salad makes eight servings in 20 minutes. Fusilli carries pepperoni, pepper Jack cheese, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, and Italian dressing. The pepperoni and cheese give the bowl real staying power, while the vegetables stop it from reading like a plate of plain pasta. Chill it for at least an hour before taking it to a potluck or serving it for lunch.
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Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad
Creamy without being one-note, Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad fills six servings with farfalle, cooked bacon, cheddar, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, and green onions. The 50-minute recipe uses mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, bacon fat, smoked paprika, parsley, and dill for a dressing with smoke, tang, and herbs. Bacon and cheese make it substantial enough to rival a burger plate. Bring it to a picnic, or pair a scoop with grilled vegetables and corn.
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Italian Pasta Salad
Bright and glossy after chilling, Italian Pasta Salad makes eight servings in 1 hour and 32 minutes, including a full hour in the refrigerator. Fusilli is tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and a scratch vinaigrette. Mozzarella and olives give the salad enough substance for a light main, while the vegetables keep it lively. Reserve some dressing for serving so the pasta stays coated instead of drying out.
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Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Part macaroni salad and part deviled egg filling, Deviled Egg Pasta Salad gives eight servings in 20 minutes. Elbow macaroni and six hard-boiled eggs are mixed with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, and chives. Eggs make the bowl more substantial than a standard side, so skipping a burger does not leave dinner unfinished. Serve it cold at a cookout or pack it for a make-ahead lunch.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Fresh enough for a hot afternoon but substantial enough for dinner, Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp makes eight servings in 35 minutes. Orzo, shrimp, feta, chickpeas, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onion get a lemon, olive oil, dill, parsley, and oregano dressing. Shrimp and chickpeas provide the heft normally expected from a grilled main. Serve it chilled for lunch, dinner, or a cookout where burgers are not the only option.
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Compact and easy to spoon, Pesto Orzo Salad coats orzo with pesto, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and lemon. The 20-minute recipe makes six servings and adds mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and fresh basil. Cheese and nuts make it more filling than its bright appearance suggests, though it still lands lighter than a burger. Chill it for about 30 minutes and serve beside grilled vegetables or as a simple lunch.
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Salmon Pasta Salad
Cool, creamy, and built around leftover fish, Salmon Pasta Salad combines 5 minutes of prep with 15 minutes of cooking and makes 10 servings. Orecchiette, cooked salmon, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon form a bowl that is rich without needing anything from the grill. Salmon gives it enough protein for lunch or dinner, while cucumber keeps the texture fresh. Serve it cold on its own or alongside sliced tomatoes.
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BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
A sandwich-shop classic takes a colder turn in BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!, an eight-serving recipe with 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking. Pasta, crumbled bacon, grape tomatoes, romaine, red onion, and parsley are tossed with mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon, and garlic. Bacon supplies the smoky weight of a burger, while lettuce and tomatoes keep the bowl from becoming too heavy. Add the romaine close to serving so it stays crisp.
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Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Colorful enough to anchor a picnic table, Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad makes eight servings in 33 minutes. Farfalle is mixed with grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow summer squash, black olives, red onion, and parsley under a red wine vinaigrette with Dijon and Italian seasoning. The sturdy vegetables add plenty of bite without meat or a creamy dressing. Serve it as a lighter lunch, or let it balance richer cookout dishes when burgers stay on the menu.
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Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
When leftover chicken needs a cooler second act, Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad turns it into six servings in 30 minutes. Bow tie pasta, diced chicken, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic are coated in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and white wine vinegar. Chicken gives the salad the same main-dish role a burger would usually fill, but the yogurt dressing keeps it less heavy. Pack it for lunch or serve it at a cookout straight from the refrigerator.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad