One of these gorgeous pasta salad recipes is about to become your new summer staple, whether you’re packing a picnic, planning a spread, or looking to make the most popular dish at the potluck!
No mayonnaise, no problem!
When prepared incorrectly, pasta salads are boring, heavy, or both. But loaded with colorful produce and topped off with a generous dose of extra virgin olive oil, a good pasta salad is one of the most versatile hot dishes in my playbook!
Pasta salad recipes are perfect make-ahead meals, easy on-the-go lunches, and almost always the first to go at a backyard barbecue. They’re inexpensive to make, and a bag of pasta is a perfect blank canvas for almost any type of seasonal produce or protein you have in your fridge. Because these Mediterranean pasta salads don’t contain mayonnaise, they’re best suited for a picnic or potluck in the summer heat. Enjoy them warm, fresh or at room temperature.
My Tips for the Best Pasta Salad
- Go (a little) al dente. I like to cook pasta a minute or two longer for a pasta salad than for a hot pasta dish. I think this helps the pasta absorb the dressing and keeps the pasta from looking tough or crumbly when cooled. However, you can exceed it, so watch the time and taste the texture. Nobody likes a mushy pasta salad!
- More salad, less pasta. I am convinced that in a good pasta salad, the plant and protein components should shine, with the pasta playing a supporting role.
- Season it however you like. Cold dulls the flavor; a good pasta salad is seasoned enough or has enough bold ingredients that, even when cooled, it’s still flavorful!
- Dress hot pasta! There’s one pasta salad tip that makes all the difference: immediately toss the hot pasta with the dressing. This ensures that the pasta absorbs the dressing!
- Prepare it in advance. I think pasta salads taste even better after a few hours in the fridge, once the pasta has had time to soak up all that wonderful dressing.
Italian pasta salad
An antipasto spread – delicious “before the pasta” bites – inspired this Italian pasta salad recipe. It’s loaded with salami, tangy marinated artichokes, cherry tomatoes, olives, spicy pepperoncini and mozzarella pearls. The combination of big flavors makes every bite delicious. It’s great as a main dish with grilled vegetables on the side, and maybe a strawberry granita for dessert.
Greek pasta salad
It’s the pasta version of my favorite Greek salad with a satisfying twist: Farfalle pasta joins crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, briny Kalamata olives, and creamy feta, all dressed in a tangy lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It’s perfect with grilled chicken souvlaki!
Sweet potato couscous salad
A perfect spring pasta salad, this one features cubes of butter-roasted sweet potato with peppery arugula and pearl couscous. Slivers of almonds and red onion add crunch, while crumbled feta adds a salty touch. I love this one with chicken piccata meatballs.
Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Salad
Want a pre-prepared lunch for hot days? This pasta salad is a complete meal: herb-seasoned chicken breast topped with rigatoni, sweet cherry tomatoes, tangy roasted peppers and peppery arugula. Kalamata olives and capers add a savory finish, while fresh basil and red wine vinaigrette infuse the pasta as it cools.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Vibrant green basil pesto is one of my favorite summer flavor makers, and it’s the star of this simple vegetarian pasta salad. I love that Chef Abigail, who developed this recipe, includes even more vegetables (zucchini, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes) than pasta! Add simple grilled chicken breasts for extra protein!
Pasta salad with shrimp, avocado and feta
The combination of sweet, juicy shrimp and creamy avocado is underrated, especially with salty feta crumbles. Fresh herbs and a tangy lemon vinaigrette make this easy shrimp pasta salad recipe perfect for a hot day! Need support? This one is delicious with grilled lemon asparagus.
Strawberry Orzo Pasta Salad
It’s the pasta salad that surprises everyone: orzo topped with slices of fresh strawberries, roasted baby broccoli and spicy arugula. It has layers of herby flavors thanks to the green onions, fresh parsley, and basil. A little salty feta and a honey-lemon vinaigrette make the sweetness of the strawberries sing.
Spinach Tortellini Salad
Using cream cheese tortellini is one of my favorite ways to make an interesting pasta salad, without needing too many ingredients! I load mine with lots of spinach and herbs. Sun-dried tomatoes and olives balance the mild cheese in the pasta. I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s a family favorite, served with lemon and garlic drumsticks.
Caprese Pasta Salad
With only eight ingredients (including salt and pepper), this is arguably the simplest pasta salad recipe on this entire list! You don’t even need to make a bandage; drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar are all you need for this irresistible combination of moist orecchiette, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
Summer pasta salad with corn, zucchini, basil vinaigrette
When we’re in peak summer produce season, this is the pasta salad I make repeatedly: golden corn kernels and lightly seared zucchini slices are topped with pasta shells, juicy cherry tomatoes and a basil vinaigrette. It’s bright and airy, perfect next to grilled salmon with a juicy watermelon salad on the side.
Mediterranean couscous salad
Small round pieces of chickpeas and pearl couscous complement each other, and cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives and marinated artichokes add just the right amount of color and texture. Don’t skip the step of toasting the couscous first! It takes very little time and makes a big difference. Serve it as a light vegetarian dinner alongside roasted eggplant and a Mediterranean dip like garlic hummus or baba ganoush.
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The article 11 Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipes Perfect for Summer Meals! appeared first on The Mediterranean Dish.
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