A Summer Pasta Salad is a delicious and refreshing choice for warm weather. This delightful dish combines cooked pasta with various vibrant vegetables and sometimes includes meat. Drizzled with a zesty dressing made of olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey, it can also feature chickpeas for added protein.
Summer Pasta Salad Recipes
One of the best things about a Summer Pasta Salad is it's good for your health. If you use whole-grain pasta and lots of veggies, you get important vitamins and fiber. Adding lean meats can make your salad even more nutritious. Plus, because it's served cold, it can help you stay cool and hydrated when the weather is warm. So, a Summer Pasta Salad isn't just tasty, but healthy too!
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni pasta
- 6 large hard boiled eggs
- 2 ribs celery , diced small
- ⅓ cup red onion , finely diced
- 2 medium dill pickles , finely diced
To Make Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
For Garnish
- paprika
- diced scallion
Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper, as desired
To Make Dressing
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Pasta Salad
- 3.5 cups bowtie pasta, or other short pasta of choice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half if desired
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- ¼ red onion, diced
- ½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- ½ cup kalamata olives, cut in half if desired
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Strawberry Fluff Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz cool whip
- 4 cups diced strawberries
Amish Macaroni Salad
INGREDIENTS
- ½ pound (8 ounces) uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mayonnaise* (see Note about using Miracle Whip)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper or celery
- ¼ cup chopped onion
Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz. gluten free short pasta such as fusilli or penne
- 1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup walnuts unsalted
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese or Asiago or Romano
- ½ cup mayo
- ¼ cup jarred basil pesto
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil for garnish
Taco Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked rotini pasta
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup salsa, divided
- 1 /2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Tortellini Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 lemon - juiced
- ½ lemon - zested
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme - chopped
- 2 teaspoon fresh oregano - chopped
- 2 teaspoon fresh parsley - chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary - chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 chicken breasts
The Homemade Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon - juiced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley - chopped
- salt and pepper - to taste
For the Tortellini Salad
- 10 oz cheese tortellini - cooked to al dente
- ½ red onion - diced
- 1 English cucumber - peeled, quartered, diced
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes - halved
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives - roughly chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese - crumbled
- salt and pepper - to taste
- fresh oregano - to garnish
Rasta Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips about 3" long x ½" thick
- 3½ teaspoons jerk seasoning, divided (see note)
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces penne pasta (preferably whole wheat)
- 1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced (to equal about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced (to equal about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium yellow pepper, thinly sliced (to equal about 1½ cups)
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1¾ cups nonfat milk
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish, if desired)
- 2-3 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel cheese) (see note)
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup thinly sliced celery
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces linguine or fettuccine (we use whole wheat or whole grain)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1½ cups nonfat milk
- 2½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning (we use McCormick; see note)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed if desired (we use 21/25 size; see note)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel cheese)
- optional for garnish: chopped fresh parsley or extra parmesan
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 350g cooked chicken
- 225g dried pasta shapes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbs creme fraiche
- 2 tbs mayonnaise
- 1 lemon - zest and juice
- Small bunch chopped herbs - use flat leaf parsley, basil, dill or chives
