Great pasta salad recipes that are ideal for a light lunch or a quick dinner. Get inspired!

Do you love simple and quick meals that are suitable for any occasion? Then try pasta salad recipes.

It is an ideal dish for a garden party, summer celebration, sitting with friends, but also as a snack, lunch or dinner.

Get inspired in our article and try one of the carefully collected recipes that will please your taste buds.

Do you prefer a lighter version in cold form, a warm salad or something more expensive? Taste one at a time and see which one you love the most.

Quick pasta salad

You will definitely appreciate the quick and easy preparation of this recipe full of crunchy vegetables and fresh mozzarella. If we also add a simple homemade dressing, we have a tasty dish.

It can be a great side dish for pork, or try preparing recipes for roasted chicken .

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 600 g pasta (ideally fusilli or penne)
• 1 chopped red pepper
• 1/2 thinly sliced zucchini
• 250 g halved cherry tomatoes
• 5 finely chopped shallots
• 1 sliced banana pepper
• 50 g of green olives
• 50 g of black olives
• 80 g of grated parmesan (if we don’t have it, we can use any hard cheese)
• 175 g of chopped fresh mozzarella balls
• 1 handful of chopped fresh parsley

For the topping:

• 50 ml of white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Bring a large mug of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta in it exactly according to the instructions on the package. Strain, rinse with cold water and let drain in a colander.
• In the meantime, we will prepare the dressing so that it rests for a while.
• Put the white wine vinegar, sea salt, ground black pepper, oregano, olive oil in a bowl and beat with a hand whisk until everything is combined.
• Let it stand for about 15 minutes and then add the drained pasta. Mix thoroughly so that the dressing really gets everywhere.
• Stir in peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, shallots, olives, parmesan, mozzarella and parsley.
• Mix for the last time and serve.

Vegetable mixture

Are you expecting guests and wondering what to prepare for lunch without it being complicated or time-consuming?

Then the best choice is a pasta salad, such as this recipe. It tastes great, yet it’s not complicated at all.

Ingredients:

• 500 g tricolor spiral pasta
• 6 tablespoons of salad dressing
• 1 bottle of Italian style salad dressing
• 250 g of cherry tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 can of chopped black olives

Method:

• Cut the tomatoes, yellow and red peppers into cubes and put them in a bowl.
• Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, add salt and cook the pasta according to the instructions so that it is al dente. Strain and let it drain.
• Mix the salad seasoning mixture with the Italian dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
• Pour pasta into a large bowl, add cherry tomatoes, both types of paprika and olives.
• Mix, and finally pour over the prepared dressing.
• Store the salad prepared in this way in the refrigerator and let it cool overnight in the refrigerator.

Tuna pasta salad

Everyone who likes fish and other aquatic delicacies will love this recipe. With pasta and vegetables, they form an excellent dish full of healthy ingredients.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 250 g wholemeal penne pasta
• 3 stalks of celery stalks
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 190 g canned tuna (in olive oil)
• 1 small red onion or 1/2 larger

For the cream sauce:

• 1 ripe avocado (marked as Ready to eat in stores)
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt
• 3 sprigs of chopped dill
• Juice from 1/2 chemically untreated lemon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:

• Cut the stalked celery into thin slices. The peas must be thawed before use.
• Clean the onion and cut it into thin slices.
• Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package, then strain and let it cool.
• Put all the ingredients for the sauce/dressing into the bowl of a food processor and blend until they are smooth and well mixed.
• Taste and add salt as needed, or we can also add pepper or chili, depending on how spicy we like it.
• Pour the cooled pasta from the colander into a large bowl, cover with the dressing and mix thoroughly so that the sauce really gets everywhere.
• Then just divide into bowls and we can serve.

Salad with chicken

This Greek-style delicacy is stuffed with fresh vegetables, feta cheese and a delicious homemade dressing. It is perfect for a family picnic, a barbecue or perhaps a meeting with friends.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 500 g of whole grain pasta
• 1 salad cucumber
• 250 g of boiled chicken breast
• 1 small red onion
• 300 g of cherry tomatoes
• 10 black olives
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 60 Feta cheese

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 large chemically untreated lemon
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Method:

• Clean the onion and cut it into thin slices. Remove the bones from the chicken breast and cut it into medium-sized pieces.
• Cut the cucumber into cubes, slice the black olives and halve the cherry tomatoes.
• Cook the pasta as indicated on the package and then strain, rinse with cold water and set aside to drain in a colander.
• First we make the dressing. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until all the ingredients are sufficiently mixed.
• Pour the pasta into a bowl, add chopped chicken, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, olives and basil.
• Salt and pepper to taste. Add the finished dressing and mix thoroughly.
• Let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour so that the flavors combine.
• Garnish with crumbled Feta cheese when serving.

Corn with pasta and vegetables

This tomato and corn salad is perfect for the summer months when seasonal vegetables are available at their best. Lime juice in combination with honey will ensure an excellent taste.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 bag of pasta (ideally a small corner)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 3/4 cup fresh corn (can be thawed)
• 2 thinly sliced spring onions
• 1 seedless jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup crumbled Balkan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 spoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of dried chili
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Method:

• Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package, then strain and rinse under running cold water. Let it drain.
• In a large serving bowl, combine tomatoes, corn, zucchini, spring onion, jalapeños, cilantro and mix.
• Add the cooled pasta, crumbled Balkan cheese and mix again.
• Salt and pepper. Then we mix all the ingredients for the dressing and pour it into a bowl.
• Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined.
• If necessary, season with salt or pepper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• We always serve chilled.

Spinach dish with ermine and garlic toast

So when it comes to this pasta salad, you can prepare it in a flash and everyone will enjoy it just as if it took you an hour. Perfectly combined ingredients ensure excellent taste and a satisfied tummy.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 20 g unsalted fresh butter
• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 red cored apples
• 1 small baguette
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 200 g of ermine cut into wedges
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• First we start by preheating the grill.
• Cut the apples into equally sized wedges. Cut the baguette into 1 x 1 cm slices. Just cut the garlic in half.
• Put the butter and 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pan and heat over medium heat.
• Throw in the apple wedges and cook for 5 minutes until they start to caramelize slightly.
• Rub the individual slices of baguette with garlic and stack them next to each other on a cutting board.
• Drizzle all of them with the remaining olive oil and fry on a hot grill until golden brown on both sides, then cut them into 1 x 1 cm pieces.
• Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
• Transfer the apples to a bowl, add the chopped garlic toast, ermine, spinach leaves and cover everything with the dressing.
• Mix thoroughly and serve.

Pasta with salmon

Simple, yet extremely tasty. That’s exactly what this salad is, the preparation of which takes no more than 20 minutes. Excellent taste goes hand in hand with perfect crunch.

Ingredients:

• 240 g of fresh salmon (2 fillets)
• 150 g of whole grain pasta
• 100 g of chopped asparagus
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 50 g chopped fresh spinach
• 40 g of chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 diced tomatoes
• 50 g of chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Lemon juice from 1 chemically untreated lemon

Method:

• Let the pasta cook exactly according to the instructions (usually for 10-12 minutes) and add the asparagus 3 minutes before it is done.
• Place the salmon on a hot grill or on a baking sheet in the oven and bake for approx. 10-12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put all the vegetables in a large bowl, add balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
• Strain the pasta with asparagus and add to the bowl with the vegetables.
• Mix thoroughly and serve.

Interesting facts at the end

Pasta is popular almost all over the world. It can be a side dish to goulash, to various sauces, but also to salads, as you could see for yourself in this article. How is made? Check it out in the following videos.

How It's Made - Pasta

How The World’s Biggest Pasta Factory Produces 1,400 Tons Of Pasta Per Day

Don’t hesitate to take a look at the production equipment, with the help of which different types of pasta are made.

Pasta Makers | How It's Made

The video of how fresh spinach is harvested in southwest Texas is also very interesting. It is a popular ingredient not only in pasta salads, but in many different dishes.

Strong to the Finish | Spinach Harvest