Pasta salad is on the menu in a big way. The best pasta salads out there aren’t content with side dish status—instead, they are busting out main-dish moves with bold ingredients, tastes, and textures. Take a look at some of our favorite main dish pasta salad recipes to make again and again.
01 of 14
A Great Greek Pasta Salad
Credit: Allrecipes / Julia Hartbeck
Fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and sweet bell peppers mix it up with salty feta cheese, olives, and pepperoni, while a homemade vinaigrette loaded with Mediterranean herbs brings it all together. You’ll want to make the salad a day ahead so the flavors can get to know each other better. “The first time I made it was for a block party, and after tasting it, my husband wanted me to make something else to take so he could have this all for himself,” says reviewer CMACINTYRE.
02 of 14
Pesto Pasta Caprese Salad
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
In this Italian pasta salad, you get two big hits of basil’s distinctive flavor when you toss fresh basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese with a zesty basil pesto sauce. “Super tasty, and very healthy,” says Alaniwhat. She used gluten-free rotini and says it was a huge hit.
03 of 14
Italian Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Will Dickey
This Italian pasta salad, loaded with tri-color rotini pasta, salami, bell peppers, and fresh mozzarella balls, is quick to make and full of flavor for a delicious anytime salad.
04 of 14
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Stacy K. Allen / Food Styling: Ana Kelly / Prop Styling: Josh Hoggle
A generous helping of crispy, smoky bacon is what sets this salad apart from others that just sprinkle it on a bit. Cool and creamy ranch dressing pulls the rest of the ingredients together for a BLT pasta salad that’s definitely not for timid taste buds.
05 of 14
Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing
Credit: Photographer: Victor Protasio / Food Styling: Melissa Gray / Prop Styling: Christina Brockman
This homemade pasta salad dressing elevates a simple Italian pasta salad loaded with veggies, cheese, pepperoni, and olives. Serve it right away or make ahead for packed lunches, picnics, or barbecues.
06 of 14
Thai Rice Noodle Salad
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
“This is very delicious!” Allrecipes All-star Buckwheat Queen says. “With these noodle bowls, the real clincher is the sauce, and this one is quite good. I cut the sugar by 75 percent because I don’t like things that are sweet. It worked perfectly.”
07 of 14
Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Sesame
Credit: Photographer: Brie Goldman
“This is exactly the sort of healthy dinner or lunch you want when it’s hot,” reviewer barngurl says. “It’s super delicious, filling, and fantastic! I’ve made this a handful of times and keep the dressing recipe the same, but adjust vegetables per what I have.”
08 of 14
Awesome Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy / Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
This recipe is for the easy pasta salad that everyone makes their own. They add this, tweak that, and pretty soon they’ve created a signature salad their friends beg them to bring. What will you add?
09 of 14
Pomelo Salad with Rice Vermicelli
Credit: Kim’s Cooking Now
The combination of pomelo and noodles may not seem like a natural pair, but this refreshing pasta salad will convince you otherwise. The flavors of Thai sweet chili sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and cilantro come together seamlessly.
10 of 14
Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad
Credit: abapplez
Toss juicy mandarin oranges, crisp, colorful raw vegetables, and leafy spinach with cooked pasta and leftover chicken in a ginger-kissed rice vinegar dressing. If you use the liquid from canned mandarin oranges when you whisk up the dressing, you can reduce or omit the added sugar. “A wonderful summer salad!” reviewer Rhonda Jay says. “A light and healthy salad [that] stands on its own without the need for anything else on the side.”
11 of 14
Fruity Pasta Salad with Herbs
Credit: lutzflcat
“Loaded with fresh fruit and herbs, this creamy, pleasantly sweet pasta salad will become one of your favorite summer recipes,” writes recipe submitter lutzflcat.
12 of 14
Chicken Noodle Salad
Credit: Chef John
“Get ready to make all sorts of friends when you bring a big bowl of this Asian chicken noodle salad to the next big cookout,” Chef John says. “The only folks you might scare away are the ones who brought regular pasta salads. There’s just something delightfully addictive about this special combination of cold and spicy. This recipe is the perfect catchall for all those summer vegetables we’re supposed to be eating more of, as well as any dry leftover chicken you have around.”
13 of 14
Chickpea-on-Chickpea Pasta Salad
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
Chickpea fusilli joins forces with marinated vegetables and cheese. Pesto, made with fresh herbs, packs an extra punch of flavor.
14 of 14
Fiesta Pasta Salad with Dill Pickles
Credit: lutzflcat
Minced dill pickles and sweet pickle relish bring a notable tang to this colorful pasta salad. Celery and radishes add crunch.
Read the original article on Allrecipes
Dining and Cooking