23 Oddly Easy Pasta Salad Recipes To Make All Year Long
Ever see a recipe picture and think, “That looks too hard to make!” – if so, me too! But these pasta salad recipes below are super simple AND crowd-pleasers!
All these pasta salad recipes get bonus point too because – they are easy MAKE AHEAD side dishes!
Updated on June 1, 2025
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I’m sure we all have our Go To pasta salad recipe – my grandma told me that “Real Women” have their own signature pasta salad haha!
And she’s the one that taught me MY Go To pasta salad recipe!
Introducing – Chicken Noodle Pasta Salad
It’s really easy to make (especially if you use drained canned chicken!)
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One Box pasta (whatever kind ya got)
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Chicken (either shredded on canned)
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Chopped Carrots
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Chopped Celery
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Chopped Red onion
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Cherry tomatoes
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Mayo to taste
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Your favorite seasonings
Just mix it all together and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
It’s very good – my family LOVES it (and I guess it makes me a “REAL woman” hahahahha!)
Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta Salad made easy! Just grab spiral pasta, any veggies on hand, and drizzle on a zesty two-ingredient Italian dressing.
Southwestern Pasta Salad is a flavor filled side dish that is perfect for a potluck, BBQ, or to bring new parents! This pasta salad is filled with bell peppers, corn, black beans, cilantro, green onions, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, Greek yogurt, and mayonnaise.
This Bowtie Chicken Pasta Salad recipe is on my healthy lunch ideas page here because I make the bog batch and then split it into single serve meal prep containers for my lunch thru the week.
It's a REALLY good (and good FOR you) pasta salad recipe with added protein.
This Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad is not only beautiful but delicious - a medley of colorful vegetables, a tangy homemade vinaigrette, and plenty of ways to customize it based on what you have on hand.
This bacon parmesan pasta salad, loaded with crispy bacon, fresh parmesan cheese, and garlic, is a definite crowd pleaser. Bring it to your next potluck or serve it along side your favourite dinner.
Colorful pasta, coated with Italian dressing and a generous blend of veggies and cheese makes a delightful Pasta Salad For A Crowd!
This Ranch Pasta Salad is the best pasta salad side dish!
Rotini noodles, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, Parmesan cheese with an easy dressing of ranch.
It's an absolute CROWD PLEASER!
The Ditalini Pasta Salad is a delightful blend of creamy dressing, tender pasta, and crunchy vegetables that creates a refreshing side dish perfect for summer gatherings. Its rich yet tangy flavor pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, making it an ideal choice for BBQs, picnics, or potlucks.
This Pesto Pizza Pasta Salad features curly pasta, a savory dressing, and all of your favorite pizza toppings. It’s the perfect, kid-friendly side dish to take to your next potluck or barbeque!
This BLT Pasta Salad is a refreshing take on the traditional BLT, transforming it into a cold pasta dish that’s perfect for any occasion.
Bowtie pasta salad can be enjoyed as a light meal or served as a side dish at dinner. This creamy pasta salad without mayo is loaded with soft bow tie pasta and fresh vegetables.
The different colors in a great tasting pasta salad just make you want to gobble it down! This is a very colorful bean salad recipe variation and the variety of flavors make it all the more satisfying!
This cucumber pasta salad is so simple to put together - ant it's really good!
This Really Good Pasta Salad is a flavor-packed pasta salad recipe making it the perfect recipe for summer entertaining!
This quick and easy classic Italian Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish to share. Pasta is tossed with Italian dressing, crunchy fresh vegetables and yummy Italian flavors for this delicious dish.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe – tender chicken, pasta, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, parmesan, and croutons toss in a creamy caesar dressing. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or a potluck.
This Italian Spaghetti Salad recipe (sometimes called California spaghetti salad or just spaghetti pasta salad) is full of delicious flavor! This is a must-have recipe for summer potlucks, cookouts, or even a great side dish to make and serve to your family at home.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a delicious macaroni salad recipe loaded with crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, shredded cheddar and ruffled potato chips, all tossed in mayo and ranch dressing.
The tri-color rotini pasta salad does a great job of locking in all the flavors from the homemade Italian dressing while the rest of the veggie salad ingredients provide a delicious contrast of crunchy crisp texture, added juiciness, and bulk – it is an ideal pasta salad for a July 4th barbeque!
Perfect for backyard BBQs and picnics, this Easy-Peasy Veggie Pasta Salad is a delicious summertime favorite.
Tender pasta with a variety of vegetables, such as crisp and crunchy celery, bell peppers, and sweet onion.
Add to that the cherry tomatoes, fresh zucchini, and garbanzo beans, and it’s a party.
Topping it all off is a seasoned olive oil-based dressing that lends an Italian flavor.
This is probably my favorite pasta salad recipe EVER!
