Looking for the best easy pasta salad recipes for potlucks, summer dinners and busy weeknights? These creamy, delicious and budget-friendly pasta salads are quick to make, easy to customize and packed with delicious ingredients your family will love!
If you’re looking for easy pasta salad recipes that don’t take a lot of time, money or fancy ingredients, you’re in the right place! Pasta salads are one of the best make-ahead meals because they’re simple to throw together, easy to customize and perfect for busy summer days when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Whether you need a quick side dish for a barbecue, an inexpensive family dinner or something easy to take to a potluck, these pasta salad recipes are guaranteed to become favorites.
I love that these easy pasta salad recipes are super flexible! You can use whatever pasta, vegetables, cheese or meat you already have in the fridge and create something delicious without another trip to the grocery store. Leftover chicken, ham, bacon or even taco meat work great in pasta salads. They’re also perfect for stretching ingredients when money is tight because a little meat and a few vegetables can go a long way when mixed with pasta and dressing.
Our creamy Traditional Pasta Salad Recipe is an old-fashioned favorite that’s perfect for family gatherings and summer cookouts. It has that classic flavor everyone remembers from childhood potlucks, with crunchy celery, carrots, eggs and a creamy dressing that gets even better after chilling in the refrigerator. If you want something fruity and refreshing, the Orange Chicken Pasta Salad combines sweet grapes and mandarin oranges with savory chicken for an easy one dish meal that tastes light and fresh on hot summer days.
You’ll also find bold flavors in our Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe, which is packed with taco-seasoned meat, cheese, veggies and tangy dressing for a fun twist on taco night. The BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is another quick favorite that gives you all the delicious flavors of a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich in an easy cold pasta salad. And if you love colorful recipes loaded with fruits and vegetables, the Pasta Veggie Fruit Salad Recipe is a refreshing option that’s hearty enough for dinner.
Helpful Tips For Making These Pasta Salad Recipes
- Rinse cooked pasta with cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly.
- Chill pasta salad for at least an hour before serving so the flavors can blend together.
- If the salad seems dry after refrigeration, stir in a little extra dressing before serving.
- Pasta salads are great for meal prep because they often taste even better the next day.
- Short pasta shapes like rotini, shells and bow ties hold dressing best and are easier to eat.
Great Add-Ins For Pasta Salad
If you want to add even more variety between recipes, try including:
- shredded cheese
- black olives
- peas
- diced cucumbers
- broccoli
- sunflower seeds
- chopped nuts
- fresh herbs
- crispy bacon
- ranch seasoning
- Italian dressing
No matter which of these easy pasta salad recipes you try first, you’ll find that they’re all simple, budget friendly and perfect for feeding hungry families without spending hours in the kitchen!
Traditional Pasta Salad Recipe
This traditional pasta salad recipe is creamy, delicious and loaded with crunchy vegetables, tender pasta and simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Perfect for potlucks, picnics and easy family dinners, this old-fashioned favorite comes together in just minutes and tastes even better the next day!
- Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients
6 cups pasta, cooked (macaroni, shells, bow ties, or rotini work well)
1 dill pickle, chopped (optional)
½ cup mayonnaise
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
½ onion, finely chopped or 1 tsp. onion powder
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 lb. cooked chicken, turkey or ham, diced (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
- Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
Notes
- Add a little extra mayonnaise before serving if the pasta absorbs too much dressing.
- Sweet pickle relish can be used instead of dill pickles for a sweeter flavor.
- Great for using up leftover ham, turkey or chicken.
- Keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Budget Tip
Use whatever vegetables you already have on hand. Frozen peas, chopped cucumbers or bell peppers all work great in this easy pasta salad recipe.
This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe is from Dining On A Dime, Volume 1:
[dining]
Orange Chicken Pasta Salad
Creamy, sweet, and packed with juicy oranges, grapes, and tender chicken, this Orange Chicken Pasta Salad recipe makes the perfect quick summer meal or potluck favorite. The tangy ranch dressing and crunchy celery make every bite fresh, flavorful, and completely irresistible!
Ingredients
1 (12 oz.) box shell pasta, cooked and drained* (Gluten-free pasta works great too.)
2 cups shredded chicken (about 1/2 rotisserie chicken or 2 cans chicken, drained)
2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup celery, diced
Dressing
1 cup ranch salad dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
- Gently toss salad and dressing ingredients together until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors blend.
Notes
- For extra crunch, add sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or sunflower seeds.
- Green grapes can be used instead of red grapes.
- If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a little extra ranch dressing before serving.
- This salad tastes even better the next day.
Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe
This easy taco pasta salad recipe makes an easy one dish meal! Cool pasta with Mexican themed ingredients and finished with a tasty sweet dressing, it’s a perfect summertime family dinner recipe! It’s a great way to use leftover meat and veggies, too!
Ingredients
6 Tbsp. water
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1/2 lb. cooked hamburger or 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
8 oz. rotini pasta (or your favorite pasta shape), cooked, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
8 oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1 (8 oz.) bottle Catalina dressing or red French dressing*
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, combine the water and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cooked meat and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, seasoned meat, green pepper, onion, tomato, olives and cheese.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
- Stir before serving and add additional dressing if desired.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
- This salad is easy to customize with ingredients you already have on hand. Try adding corn, black beans, avocado, jalapeños, or chopped lettuce just before serving.
- If you prefer a lighter salad, start with about 6 oz. of dressing and add more to taste.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
*The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it chills, so the full bottle isn’t as much as it may seem. Add the dressing gradually if you prefer a less heavily dressed salad.
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
This BLT pasta salad recipe is a quick, easy and delicious pasta salad dish with the taste of a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. It is especially refreshing on warm days, but great for any day you feel like an easy cool and delicious meal. The recipe has no specific measurements, so you can add as little or much of each ingredient as you like.
Ingredients
Spiral pasta (or your favorite pasta), cooked
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Tomatoes, chopped
Miracle Whip dressing
Lettuce
Instructions
- Mix the first four ingredients together.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Pasta Veggie Fruit Salad Recipe
This easy pasta veggie fruit salad recipe makes a quick and delicious meal that’s perfect for a hot day. The salad features spiral pasta, tender chicken, crunchy celery, sweet green grapes, juicy mandarin oranges, crisp water chestnuts, and a mix of chopped green pepper and red onion. It’s a vibrant, one-dish meal everyone will love. Prepare it in the morning, and when dinner time rolls around, just set it on the table—no fuss, no stress!
Ingredients
Dressing
Instructions
- Cook the pasta.
- While it is cooking, chop the rest of the ingredients and mix.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together.
- Add pasta and mix everything.
- Chill.
- Garnish with toasted slivered almonds, if desired.
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