Summer Pasta Salads

June 13, 2007
Oxmoor House
Fresh and flavorful pasta salads, including your favorite macaroni salad recipes, are fitting side dishes for your favorite grilled entrées. But many of them can also star as main dishes for an easy summer dinner.
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Pesto Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Pesto Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella Recipe

This Caprese-inspired pasta toss is the ultimate summer main for a busy weeknight, outdoor picnic, or lunch on the go.

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Chicken and Arugula Pasta Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken and Arugula Pasta Salad Recipe
A little bit of rich, pungent cheese goes a long way. Tossing hot pasta with a few ounces of creamy Brie makes for a light, luscious, and flavorful sauce that coats the chicken, fresh veggies, and whole-grain noodles.

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Field Pea and Pasta Salad

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Field Pea and Pasta Salad Recipe

Farfalle and fresh veggies make a seriously delicious summer side.

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Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck
Farmers' Market Pasta Salad Recipe

Cook the pasta al dente (1 or 2 minutes shorter than package directions specify) so it holds its shape when tossed with the vegetables and vinaigrette. Ripe for riffs, the salad is also delicious with cheese-filled tortellini.

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Green Bean Pasta Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Green Bean Pasta Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette Recipe
This pasta side dish Is made with casarecce [cah-sah-RECH-ee], a pasta that looks similar to a scroll with the long sides curled inward toward the center. If you can’t find casarecce, you can use penne pasta.

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Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad Recipe
Turn your favorite broccoli salad into a pasta salad by adding chopped broccoli, grapes, pecans, and bacon to cooked pasta and tossing with a sweet and creamy mayonnaise dressing.
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Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Recipe
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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Orzo Salad with Zucchini and Feta

Photo: Con Poulos; Styling: Jeffrey W. Miller
Orzo Salad with Zucchini and Feta Recipe
Zucchini and feta pair well with orzo in this light summer side dish.

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Cavatappi Pasta Salad with Walnut-Sage Pesto

Cavatappi Pasta Salad with Walnut-Sage Pesto Recipe
A traditional pesto is made with pine nuts and basil, but this version features the more intense flavors of walnuts and fresh sage. The warm pasta is tossed with the pesto, roasted butternut squash, and arugula for a satisfying salad that can fill in as a main dish.
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Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad Recipe
All your favorite summer flavors in one bowl? Believe it! This pasta salad pairs perfectly with grilled fish or a hearty burger.

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Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad Recipe
Acini di pepe are tiny pasta rounds resembling peppercorns. Use ditalini (very short tube-shaped macaroni) or any other small pasta shape if you can't find acini di pepe.

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Greek Pasta Salad

Kate Sears
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Go Greek with your pasta salad by stirring in cucumber, tomato, olives, spinach, and feta, and tossing the mixture in a tangy vinaigrette.
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Eggplant Pasta Salad

Photo: Anna Williams
Eggplant Pasta Salad Recipe
Make a Mediterranean pasta salad by cooking eggplant along with tomatoes and olive oil, then tossing the eggplant mixture with penne pasta, pine nuts and parsley.

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Chicken and Arugula Pasta Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken and Arugula Pasta Salad Recipe

Just a bit of a rich and pungent cheese can go quite a long way. Tossing hot pasta with a few ounces of creamy Brie makes for a light, luscious, and flavorful sauce to coat this abundant bowl of chicken, fresh veggies, and whole-grain noodles.

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Creamy Cavatappi with Edamame, Lemon, and Tarragon

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Rachael Burrow
Creamy Cavatappi with Edamame, Lemon, and Tarragon Recipe
This hearty pasta dish will go fast at summer gatherings. We prefer Cavatappi noodles as the base, but you can substitute your favorite type.
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Best Tuna-Macaroni Salad

Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Stephana Bottom
Best Tuna-Macaroni Salad Recipe
This colorful macaroni salad with tuna features grated carrot, chopped celery and red onion, all tossed in a creamy mayonnaise-yogurt dressing. Serve it chilled as a side salad or a main dish.

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Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese Recipe
Make an upscale pasta salad that’s company worthy by combining penne pasta, roasted asparagus, arugula, herbes de Provence and goat cheese and tossing with a lemony vinaigrette.

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Smoked Gouda and Penne Pasta Salad

Photo: Ray Kachatorian
Smoked Gouda and Penne Pasta Salad Recipe
You’ll need only six ingredients for this flavorful and easy pasta salad. Smoked gouda and sun-dried tomato are the keys to the salad’s robust flavor.
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Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, and Basil

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Cindy Barr
Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, and Basil Recipe
Taking its cue from Italy's insalata caprese, this easy dish combines fresh mozzarella cheese with basil and tomatoes.

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Caesar Pasta Salad

Photo: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Lynn Miller
Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Make a creamy Caesar salad dressing and add to cooked fusilli pasta, along with tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, for a flavorful side dish pasta salad.

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Macaroni Salad with Summer Tomatoes

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
Macaroni Salad with Summer Tomatoes Recipe
White balsamic vinegar, tomato, and basil help this side dish maintain its fresh appeal.  Click here for more macaroni salad recipes.
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Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad

Photo: Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker
Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad Recipe
This salad is all about contrasts in flavor and texture: chewy, nutty pasta mingled with crisp, sweet green beans and strewn with bits of crunchy bacon and creamy.

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Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Recipe
Our colorful pasta salad is so satisfying it qualifies as dinner.

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Sweet Pea-and-Mint Pasta Toss

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Sweet Pea-and-Mint Pasta Toss Recipe
Serve this minty side with grilled shrimp for a quick company-worthy dinner. Can't find torcetti? Use cavatappi or gemelli.
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Triple-Pepper Pasta Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Triple-Pepper Pasta Salad Recipe
This dish is an exposition of sweet peppers. Here they're charred and pureed for a sauce, roasted and stirred into the pasta, and quick-cured for a pretty topper.

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Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini Pasta Salad

Photo: Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker
Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini Pasta Salad Recipe
Use your bounty of summer squash to make a fresh and colorful pasta salad. The recipe calls for bowtie pasta, but you can use any shaped pasta you have on hand.

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Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad Recipe
Punch up this classic pairing of watermelon and feta with peppery watercress or arugula.
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Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
Add bright flavor and a punch of color to the traditional pasta salad by using a simple homemade pesto. Mix the pesto ingredients in a food processor for a quick side, which only calls for three other ingredients.

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Orzo with Sesame and Peas

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Orzo with Sesame and Peas Recipe
Paul Pastina was looking for something colorful and light to serve with chicken and fish when he came up with this quick dish infused with Asian flavors.

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Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe
Instead of a mayonnaise-based dressing, this fruited pasta salad has a citrus-mustard vinaigrette. Chopped celery and toasted walnuts add crunch, and red grapes contribute just the right amount of sweetness.
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Chicken-Penne Salad with Green Beans

Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke
Chicken-Penne Salad with Green Beans Recipe
Fresh green beans and roasted red peppers are the stars of this satisfying pasta salad. Because it has shredded chicken, it's certainly hearty enough for a quick weeknight meal and takes about 35 minutes to make.

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Greek Pasta Salad

Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Feature your favorite Greek flavors in this easy pasta salad: feta cheese, cucumbers, and Kalamata olives. The dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano further bring out the salad's Grecian nature, and fresh tuna makes it worthy of serving on Mount Olympus.

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Tomato-and-Gorgonzola Pasta Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Tomato-and-Gorgonzola Pasta Salad Recipe
We love juicy beefsteaks for their sweet, intense flavor. Colorful small tomatoes and any crumbled cheese work well here too.
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Macaroni Salad with Bacon, Peas, and Creamy Dijon Dressing

Macaroni Salad with Bacon, Peas, and Creamy Dijon Dressing Recipe
It's hard to say what makes this salad so spectacular–it's either crisp bacon crumbles or the creamy dressing that's made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. This will be quite a crowd pleaser at your next picnic.

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Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad Recipe
This kid-friendly recipe is a takeoff on macaroni and cheese; it makes a large batch that holds well for two or three days. Serve with pickled jalapeño slices for grownups who like spicy food.

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Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Recipe
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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Garlicky Vegetable Pasta Salad

Randy Mayor; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Garlicky Vegetable Pasta Salad Recipe
Add grilled red peppers, onions, portobello mushrooms, asparagus, feta cheese, and olives to fusilli for a hearty pasta side dish with Mediterranean flair.

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Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes Recipe
This light and refreshing pasta salad is delicious and rounds out at under 200 calories.

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Greek-Style Pasta Salad

Photo: Kate Sears
Greek-Style Pasta Salad Recipe
This Greek-style pasta salad has a crisp and delicious flavor.
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Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans, and Tomatoes

Michael Weschler
Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans, and Tomatoes Recipe
Summer vegetables shine in this easy-to-assemble pasta salad. Because you can make it ahead and let it chill, it's perfect for picnics and covered-dish suppers.

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Confetti Pasta Salad with Chicken

Randy Mayor
Confetti Pasta Salad with Chicken Recipe
A colorful medley of chopped fresh veggies gives this creamy pasta salad both color and flavor. For a shortcut, you can use rotisserie chicken instead of simmering fresh chicken breasts. Or, stir in leftover grilled chicken.

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