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Updated July 15, 2021
Are you looking for easy and delicious cold pasta salads for summer cookouts?
You’re absolutely looking in the right place.
We asked our favorite food bloggers to share their BEST pasta salad recipes for summer.
Summer nights are perfect for cook-outs and a freshly made cold pasta salad is the perfect side dish!
Planning a Memorial Day BBQ? Or a Fourth of July party? Or maybe a summer picnic?
Whatever the event, these pasta salad recipes are proven, crowd pleasers!
20 Cold Pasta Salads For Summer Cookouts
Greek Pasta Salad by Simply Recipes
A pasta-filled twist on a classic Greek salad, this pasta is a great fit for any backyard BBQ or summer picnic!
The yummy mix of pasta, some olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and feta cheese works amazingly together!
Finished with delicious citrus-filled lemon dressing, you can’t go wrong with this one!
The best part? You can make the pasta and dressing super easily the day before, so all you have to do is chop and toss and you’re ready to serve!
Pesto Pasta Salad by Five Heart Home
This wonderful Pesto Pasta Salad is a great spring and summer treat, whether it’s as a side or its own light dinner!
A bright green salad with asparagus, some fresh bacon, sweet peas, and perfectly rounded out with some delicious mozzarella cheese.
If you’re looking for something to invite spring into your life or a wonderful side salad for your first cookout or grilling session, this Pesto Pasta Salad fits perfectly!
This recipe is incredibly quick and easy, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Shrimp Pasta Salad by Well Plated
Looking for a wonderful pasta salad for your first outside dinner of the year? This Shrimp Pasta Salad fits amazingly!
Surprisingly light and mild salad, this salad still has plenty of wonderful, vibrant flavors that offer plenty of variety.
This salad is super easy to make and keeps super well overnight in the fridge if you’d prefer to make it the day before.
This flavor-filled, citrusy Shrimp Pasta Salad is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, whether it’s a quick and easy dinner outside or a huge BBQ dinner party!
BLT Bowtie Pasta Salad by Salt And Lavender
A slightly different pasta choice than usual for a pasta salad, the bowties aren’t the only unique thing about this BLT Bowtie Pasta Salad!
A BLT salad, pretty straightforward and simple, yet so incredibly delicious!
Some well-chopped lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and a generous helping of bacon combine together with the bowtie pasta for a great dish.
Ready in 30 minutes or less, this wonderfully filling pasta salad pairs beautifully with the creamy, fresh dressing that packs just a hint of smoky flavor.
If you need a wonderful salad to bring along to a summer party, you’ll be super pleased with this recipe!
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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad by I Heart Naptime
Looking for a pasta salad that fits perfectly as its own meal?
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad might just be what you’re looking for!
A really fresh and tasty pasta salad combined with buffalo chicken provides a super hearty meal that doesn’t take long at all!
If you’re looking for a last-minute option for a BBQ party or potluck, you can’t go wrong with this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad.
Give this recipe a try soon, it won’t disappoint!
Taco Pasta Salad by The Girl Who Ate Everything
This southwest twist on pasta salad absolutely hits the spot!
All the classic taco flavors mixed in with the pasta of your choice combine for a great side dish for any party.
This Taco Pasta Salad recipe is quick and easy to make, with plenty of room for variety.
Control the heat with different salsas or add some other classic taco flavors as you see fit!
However you end up mixing it, this Taco Pasta Salad recipe is a wonderful choice.
Spicy Thai Spaghetti Salad by The View From Great Island
The first pasta salad recipe on this list that uses spaghetti as the base, this Spicy Thai Spaghetti Salad has plenty of Asian flair.
A colorful, fresh, and delicious twist on classic pasta salad, you certainly can’t go wrong with this one for any backyard barbecue parties!
One of the best things about this Spicy Thai Spaghetti Salad?
The flavors combine and improve with just a little time in the fridge, so you can prepare it the day before and end up with an even better salad!
We loved this recipe SO much, and think you will too.
Ham And Cheese Macaroni Salad by The Kitchen Is My Playground
This Ham and Cheese Macaroni Salad is a great use for leftover ham!
Simple ingredients work together to make a really delicious pasta salad that keeps wonderfully in the fridge.
You won’t disappoint anyone by bringing this to your first summer cookout of the year!
Hawaiian Pasta Salad by Spend With Pennies
Another pasta salad that makes wonderful use of ham, this Hawaiian Ham and Pineapple Pasta Salad was such a hit when we made it!
The yummy pineapple dressing plays amazingly with the other flavors creating a dish loaded with the classic Hawaiian pizza style.
If you’ve been looking for a unique and delicious twist on pasta salad, look no further than this recipe!
Lemon Basil Arugula Pasta Salad by Little Spice Jar
Another fresh and easy salad on this list, this Lemon Basil Arugula Pasta Salad is super delicious!
Lemon basil dressing coats the pasta and arugula beautifully, and then you add in some fresh parmesan cheese and walnuts? Absolutely to die for.
You might be noticing a common theme where we really love a salad you can make the day before, and this one is no exception.
It keeps really well in the fridge and works perfectly for a quick lunch or side for dinner!
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Zesty Italian Pasta Salad by Life Made Simple Bakes
You can’t have a list of pasta salads without an Italian take on it, right?
This Zesty Italian Pasta Salad hits every target for an absolutely delicious side or meal!
Fresh, super flavorful, and filling on its own, you can’t go wrong here.
Tuna Macaroni Salad by Jo Cooks
Tuna salad? Pasta salad? Why not combine both into one simple, delicious dish?
This recipe does just that, and does a great job too!
Yummy, flaky tuna, sweet peas, and some fresh onion work together amazingly to turn this Tuna Macaroni Salad into a great one.
Yet another quick and easy pasta salad that is super easy to make the day before, bring this to any potluck or backyard party!
Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad by Averie Cooks
Another Asian-inspired twist on pasta salad, this Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad is LOADED with flavor and tastes incredibly fresh.
This pasta salad is flavor-packed while still being super healthy!
It is a healthy, delicious, and fresh recipe ready in 20 minutes. How could you skip this one!
Refreshing Summer Salad Recipes Your Whole Family Will Enjoy
Last Updated on This post contains affiliate links. You can read our affiliate disclaimer at the bottom of this post. When you think of a summer saladyou think of fresh fruit combined with a delicious mix of greens and your favorite toppings. Summer salads are the perfect light meal during the warm summer months.
Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad by The Chunky Chef
A guaranteed barbecue favorite, this Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad SCREAMS summer.
There’s been a slight theme of transitioning classic meals or appetizers into pasta salad form, and this one does an amazing job!
The creamy, slightly spicy flavors you expect from a jalapeno popper fit perfectly with the pasta.
This was one of our favorite recipes for a backyard barbecue appetizer and side, and we’re sure you’ll feel the same way.
Give this yummy Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad a try for your next cookout or even just a unique weekend side!
Tortellini Salad by A Hedgehog In My Kitchen
This Tortellini Salad is another twist on pasta salad, and we loved every bit of it!
Whether it’s for a quick and delicious picnic lunch, or as a side to a wonderful dinner.
There are plenty of options for variety here, but this recipe provides an amazing base.
Be sure to check it out, we loved it so much!
Pizza Pasta Salad by Cincy Shopper
Another delicious, flavor-packed recipe is this Pizza Pasta Salad!
All the classic pizza toppings and flavors are here in pasta salad form.
This recipe features a super flavorful, light dressing that covers everything amazingly.
This Pizza Pasta Salad is likely to be the star of the show at any potluck or backyard BBQ.
Cowboy Pasta Salad by Carlsbad Cravings
The heartiest, absolutely flavor-packed pasta salad we’ve seen, this Cowboy Pasta Salad is an amazing option this summer!
Two different kinds of meat, corn, beans, tomatoes, and cheese all covered in a creamy southwest barbecue sauce with just the right amount of tang?
The perfect recipe for an absolute hit of a salad.
It can easily be served hot or cold, and you can totally make it the day before!
We felt that this pasta salad works amazingly on gamedays later in the fall as well if that’s something you’re looking for!
Strawberry Pasta Salad by How Sweet Eats
A rather unique twist on pasta salad, this Strawberry Pasta Salad works surprisingly well!
The sweetness from the strawberries contrasts beautifully with the rest of the flavors.
Another fresh and delicious salad for any summer occasion, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Hummus Pasta With Lemon And Arugula by Cozy Peach Kitchen
Another lovely pasta salad that’s incredibly creamy and jammed with flavor, Hummus Pasta With Lemon and Arugula is colorful and super simple.
Maybe the quickest and easiest pasta salad on this list, you can have this ready for the table in 15 minutes!
With five simple ingredients, you can have a fresh, healthy, and delicious pasta salad for any need.
This recipe is wonderful hot or cold, and keeps well covered in the fridge!
Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad by Natasha’s Kitchen
A beautifully deep and colorful salad, this Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad is healthy, fresh, and delicious!
The avocado dressing works amazingly with tomatoes, corn, peas, and pasta!
With a hint of citrus from the lemon and a secret ingredient (that you’ll have to read the recipe to find out!) that brings it all together, you’re guaranteed to be happy with this one.
Give this Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad a try for your next potluck or barbecue, we’ve got a feeling it’ll be a huge hit!
Final Thoughts
This list had some really wonderful, colorful, and flavor-packed pasta salad recipes for any occasion this summer!
Potluck, dinner party, barbecue or just for a quick side or meal, these recipes are sure to please.
If any of the recipes on this list changed your mind on pasta salad, (it sure did for us!) be sure to check out some of the others!
We hope you enjoy them as much as we did, and that you have a wonderful, happiness-filled summer!
If you’re looking for a wonderful dinner to serve with some of these salads, we have plenty of amazingly flavor-packed recipes for you!
Thank you so much for checking out this list, and thank you so much to all of the bloggers who provided incredible recipes!