12 Pasta Salads for Picnics, Potlucks, and Easy Meals
Pasta salad is an easy choice when you need something flavorful, versatile, and simple to prepare. These 12 pasta salads include everything from creamy chicken favorites and classic macaroni salad to fresh tortellini, colorful vegetables, berries, and seasonal ingredients. They’re perfect for picnics, potlucks, meal prep, or relaxed family meals. With plenty of light, hearty, and make-ahead options, there’s a pasta salad here for nearly every occasion.
4 Ingredient Pasta Salad
This 4 Ingredient Pasta Salad cooks your noodles directly in the dressing in the Instant Pot. Ready in under 30 minutes, it doesn’t get much quicker or easier than this!
Fall Pasta Salad
This Fall Pasta Salad is full of seasonal flavors including roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and thyme. Mixed with al dente noodles and a homemade maple vinaigrette you’ll want this dish to become an autumn staple in your house.
Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
This Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Salad is perfect for those warm summer months. This refreshing orzo pasta salad is made with fresh ingredients and comes together in just 30 minutes for the easiest side or main dish.
5 Ingredient Tortellini Salad
This quick and easy cold tortellini salad is perfect for summer! With mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto, and arugula for a simple pasta salad side dish. Vegetarian.
Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad
This easy Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad is simple to make with just 10 ingredients and is perfect to make in advance for picnics and potlucks. We also love to make a big batch for eating throughout a busy week.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is spicy, creamy, and crunchy, making for a meal that’s filled with exciting flavors and textures. This salad is perfect for get-togethers, or as an easy weeknight meal.
Caprese Pasta Salad
This Caprese Pasta Salad is packed full of fresh flavors and is perfect for any occasion! Whether you are serving it as a side dish or the main event, this mix of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and pasta is a great way to enjoy the fresh taste of summer.
Chickpea Tortellini Pasta Salad
This chickpea tortellini pasta salad is the perfect quick lunch for those days you want something comforting yet nutritious. Bonus — it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad
There’s a reason cilantro and lime are paired together so often. It’s a burst of fresh flavor that just works! And that combination is what makes this Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad just amazingly tasty. Fresh tomatoes, crunch cucumbers, and sweet corn mixed with farfalle noodles and coated with a creamy, homemade Green Goddess dressing makes for an amazing lunch, meal prep staple, or barbecue side dish.
Classic Macaroni Salad
Grandma’s classic macaroni salad with egg is a picnic and potluck staple. It’s made the traditional way with ditalini pasta and tasty farm-fresh ingredients. It features ideal textures and the perfect amount of tang.
Cordon Bleu Chicken Pasta Salad
Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu inspired this delicious chicken pasta salad, complete with all the flavors of the original – it’s a perfect summer side dish for any picnic, party, or BBQ!
Cold Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
This Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad is easy and light with fresh vegetables. It’s the perfect summer side for grilling and potlucks.
