20 Cold Pasta Salads That Will Be a Hit All Summer Long

By Southern Living Editors Updated July 22, 2022

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Pasta salad is the refreshing dish that will always deserve a spot in our picnic spreads. You can always bet there will be a cool pasta salad on a potluck side dish lineup.

With colorful summer veggies and bright vinaigrettes, these pasta salad recipes will be a hit with your family. Mix and match these fresh, vibrant pasta salad recipes with any summer chicken, beef, pork or seafood dish. These recipes are the ultimate make-ahead food for warm weather. You can pop them in the fridge and pull them out when your hungry summertime crowd starts calling. Some of our cold pasta salad recipes make full meals thanks to the inclusion of proteins like chicken or tuna, while others are prime time sides for seasonal entrees like juicy burgers and fall-off-the-bone ribs. With so many tasty options, you've got cold pasta salad recipes to try all summer long. You're sure to find a new family favorite with these pasta salad recipes.

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Tuna Pasta Salad

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Tuna Pasta Salad

This fresh spin on fan-favorite tuna noodle casserole will take you through the warm-weather season.

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Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipes: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Add zing to your salads with fresh dill, or swap it for basil, mint, or parsley. For pasta, try using whole wheat for its earthy, toothsome quality; any kind will do.

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Three-Bean Pasta Salad

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan

Recipe: Three-Bean Pasta Salad

Pasta salad, meet three-bean salad. It's a summertime match made in heaven.

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Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad

Punch up this classic pairing of watermelon and feta with peppery watercress or arugula.

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Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

This versatile pasta pairs with any grilled vegetable, so use what you have on hand or what looks best at the farmers' market.

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Field Pea and Pasta Salad

Credit: Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Julia Levy

Recipe: Field Pea and Pasta Salad

You don't have to use cute little jars for serving, but we think it certainly makes a mighty enticing presentation.

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Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Don't even think about making just one batch of this craveable pasta salad recipe. After the first bite your crowd will be declaring it a new fan favorite.

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Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Two Southern favorites collide in one out-of-this-world pasta salad. There's a reason our Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad is one of the most popular Southern Living recipes of all time.