11 Pasta Salads Worth the Extra Trip Back to the Cooler for More

A cooler earns its space when the pasta salad inside can cover more than one kind of plate. These 11 pasta salads range from creamy bacon, chicken, egg, steak, and salmon bowls to pesto, vinaigrette, shrimp, and vegetable-packed options. Several are substantial enough for lunch, while the lighter choices fit beside grilled food, sandwiches, or a larger picnic spread. Most also benefit from chilling, which makes them practical to prepare before the cooler is packed.

Pizza Pasta Salad

Pepperoni and Pepper Jack bring pizza-shop flavors to Pizza Pasta Salad, with tri-color rotini, grape tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and Italian dressing filling the bowl. Eight servings take 20 minutes before at least one hour of chilling. The pasta is rinsed cold so it stays firm beneath the dressing and toppings. Keep the bowl in the cooler for cookouts, lunches, or potlucks where people may return for another scoop.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp

Shrimp, chickpeas, and feta make Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp substantial enough to work as lunch or a cookout side. Grape tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, dill, parsley, lemon, and olive oil fill eight servings. Preparation and cooking take 35 minutes, followed by at least one hour in the refrigerator. Serve it cold when you need a pasta salad with seafood, vegetables, and a lighter dressing.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp

Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad

Smoky bacon runs through Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad alongside farfalle, tomatoes, green bell pepper, cheddar, and green onions. Mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, bacon fat, paprika, parsley, and dill create the creamy dressing for six servings. The recipe takes 50 minutes, with an optional hour of chilling before serving. Pack it for a picnic or cookout when the cooler needs a rich pasta salad that can stand beside burgers, sandwiches, or grilled meat.
Get the Recipe: Picnic Bacon Pasta Salad

Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

Leftover poultry turns Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad into a six-serving bowl that can handle lunch without another main. Bow tie pasta, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, garlic, and chicken are coated with Greek yogurt, lemon, and white wine vinegar. The recipe takes 30 minutes, and the dressing is added about half an hour before serving. Chill it for work lunches or outdoor meals when a creamy salad without mayonnaise sounds useful.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Hard-boiled eggs give Deviled Egg Pasta Salad the familiar seasoning and creamy texture of its picnic-table namesake. Elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, relish, Dijon, vinegar, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, paprika, and chives make eight servings. The pasta and eggs cook while the dressing comes together, keeping the printed total to 20 minutes. Refrigerate it until serving, then place the bowl near sandwiches, barbecue, or other cooler dishes that need a classic partner.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Steak & Pasta Salad

Thin slices of cooked steak make Steak & Pasta Salad one of the most filling choices in the lineup. Pasta, spinach, tomatoes, radishes, corn, blue cheese, red onion, and optional candied walnuts are tossed with homemade buttermilk ranch. Eight servings take 25 minutes, followed by a 20-minute chill. Use leftover steak to shorten lunch preparation, then carry the salad to the cooler when a full meal needs to stay cold and easy to portion.
Get the Recipe: Steak & Pasta Salad

Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Raw summer vegetables keep Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad crisp around the cooled farfalle. Grape tomatoes, orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, olives, red onion, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, and Italian seasoning fill eight servings. The recipe takes 33 minutes from prep through cooking. Make it before a cookout or picnic when the cooler needs a colorful option without meat, cheese, or a mayonnaise-based dressing.
Get the Recipe: Summer Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Romaine and croutons go into Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad just before serving so both stay crisp after chilling. Rotini, rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, red onion, bacon, Parmesan, lemon, and creamy Caesar dressing make eight main-course portions. The full schedule is 1 hour and 2 minutes, including 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Keep the lettuce and croutons separate in the cooler, then fold them in when everyone is ready for a fuller pasta salad.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Pesto Orzo Salad

Basil pesto coats the tiny pasta in Pesto Orzo Salad, joined by mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, tomatoes, green onions, lemon, and pine nuts. Six servings take 20 minutes, plus about 30 minutes to chill before serving. Rinsing the cooked orzo removes the starch that could make the salad sticky. Bring it to a barbecue or lunch spread when a compact bowl needs plenty of cheese, herbs, and tomato in every spoonful.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad

Salmon Pasta Salad

Cooked salmon gives Salmon Pasta Salad enough weight to serve as lunch rather than only a side. Orecchiette, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, and lemon form 10 servings, with grilled, baked, pan-fried, or canned salmon all possible. Preparation takes five minutes and cooking takes 15, while the cucumber rests briefly to release moisture. Keep it well chilled and serve it within a day or two when using leftover fish.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pasta Salad

Italian Pasta Salad

A scratch red wine vinaigrette keeps Italian Pasta Salad glossy without mayonnaise or bottled dressing. Fusilli, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil make eight servings. The full schedule is 1 hour and 32 minutes, including an hour of chilling. Reserve part of the vinaigrette for the final toss, then return the bowl to the cooler between servings to keep the vegetables and cheese cold.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad