Check out our best easy pasta salad recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less. Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleaser that can be made and packed up for a barbecue, we’ve got you covered. These four and five-star-rated recipes feature something for everyone, from vegetarian options to recipes that include chicken or shrimp for some added protein. Recipes like our High-Protein Pasta Salad makes an easy weeknight dinner, while our Bean & Pasta Salad will brighten up your next picnic or potluck.
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Bean & Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali.
This bean-and-pasta salad is a satisfying dish packed with plant-based protein. It combines tender pasta with fiber-rich beans, crisp vegetables and a zesty vinaigrette for a well-balanced bite. The flavors continue to meld as it sits, making it an ideal recipe for meal prep or gatherings.
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High-Protein Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This high-protein pasta salad is a satisfying dish packed with plant-based protein from chickpea pasta and chickpeas, with an extra boost coming from fresh mozzarella cheese pearls. Tossed with fresh veggies and flavored with zingy za’atar seasoning, this salad is perfect for meal prep, a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner.
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Elote-Inspired Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Anna Kelly, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
This zesty pasta salad draws inspiration from the flavors of elote—a Mexican recipe with grilled corn on the cob that’s smothered in a creamy mayo-based sauce and sprinkled with chili powder, cotija cheese and lime.
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Cashew, Chickpea & Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Mint-Shallot Vinaigrette
Credit: Sara Haas
In our humble opinion, the dressing makes this salad. Tangy and zesty with a bit of a crunch from the shallots, this cilantro-mint-shallot vinaigrette will quickly become your go-to. Make the dressing and chop up the veggies while you wait for the pasta to cook, then mix everything and enjoy!
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Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
We’ve loaded this healthy pasta salad with vegetables and bright flavors. Sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of lemon zest jazz up the dressing, while tender-crisp broccoli florets cook alongside the pasta, making assembly (and cleanup!) a breeze.
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Pasta Salad with Black Beans & Avocado Dressing
Everyone will love this pasta salad, which is packed with tomatoes, corn and black beans. We lighten up the creamy dressing with avocado for a healthier version of a picnic favorite.
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Lemon Shrimp & Orzo Salad
Consider making a double batch of this easy pasta salad—it’s delicious the next day. The orzo will absorb the dressing as it sits, so add a little more olive oil and lemon juice if you’d like.
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Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls
Credit: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.
Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare—that’s 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes.
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Caprese Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely
This light and fresh Caprese pasta salad is brought together by a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.
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Tex-Mex Pasta Salad
A light and creamy green-salsa dressing highlights this easy pasta salad with Southwestern flavors.
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Pasta Salad with Arugula-Lemon Pesto
If you want proof that school gardens help create sophisticated and adventurous eaters, look no further. Just say “arugula-lemon pesto” to yourself and marvel that the origin of this pasta salad recipe is a cookbook that is an offshoot of school garden programs in Vermont. Recipe adapted from VT Feed.
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Greek Tortellini Salad
Fresh cheese tortellini and classic Greek salad ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion come together for a fast side dish that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics and other casual gatherings.
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.
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Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
A quick dressing made from za’atar, red-wine vinegar and oil coats the noodles in this healthy pasta salad recipe. Cucumber adds crunch, while parsley provides an herbaceous note. Serve as a side dish or add protein like grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a complete meal.
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Dill-Pickle Pasta Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
If you’re a fan of pickles, this easy pasta salad will become your go-to. If you want to give it some extra kick, an additional teaspoon or two of hot sauce will do the trick. Pair it with anything hot off the grill or pack it up for a picnic. It can also easily translate from a side dish to an entree by adding a can of flaked tuna or shredded chicken.
Read the original article on EatingWell
