Top 10 Cold Pasta Salad Recipes

Serve these top-rated cold pasta salad recipes at summer cookouts and parties. Each is peppered with satisfying ingredients like bacon, veggies, olives and more.

1 / 10

Macaroni Coleslaw

My friend Peggy brought this cold pasta salad to one of our picnics, and everyone liked it so much, we all had to have the recipe. —Sandra Matteson, Westhope, North Dakota

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2 / 10

Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad

I’ve tried many chicken salad recipes over the years, but this is my very favorite. It’s fresh, fruity and refreshing, and the cashews add wonderful crunch. Every time I serve it at a potluck or picnic, I get rave reviews—and ( always come home with an empty bowl! —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah

Celebrate summer with these delightful picnic salads.

3 / 10

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

I love all the colors and flavors of this quick and easy cold pasta salad recipe and serve it often in summer, to the delight of my guests! You can’t beat the combination of Gorgonzola and bacon. Leftover grilled shrimp makes a tasty substitute for chicken. —Terry McCarty, Oro Grande, California
4 / 10

Bacon Macaroni Salad

This pleasing pasta salad is like eating a BLT in a bowl. Filled with crispy bacon, chopped tomato, celery and green onion, the sensational salad is coated with a tangy mayonnaise and vinegar dressing. It’s a real crowd-pleaser! —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana
5 / 10

Colorful Spiral Pasta Salad

Tackle gatherings to go with a bright pasta salad. This tricolor toss-up with broccoli, tomatoes, olives and a hardworking dressing is the easiest one you could take. —Amanda Cable, Boxford, Massachusetts
6 / 10

Tortellini Caesar Salad

This cold pasta salad recipe was served at a dear friend’s baby shower by a health-conscious friend, who suggested the dressing be prepared with low-fat or fat-free ingredients. Either way, the creamy dressing has plenty of garlic flavor and coats the pasta, romaine and croutons nicely. —Tammy Steenbock, Sembach Air Base, Germany
7 / 10

Sweet Macaroni Salad

A sweet out-of-the-ordinary dressing makes this macaroni salad special. My aunt gave me the recipe and it has become one of my favorites. I occasionally leave out the green pepper if I know that people don’t like it, and it still tastes great. —Idalee Scholz, Cocoa Beach, Florida
8 / 10

Taco Pasta Salad

My family loves this savory cold pasta salad recipe. Serve taco or corn chips on the side, and you have a complete meal. —Gert Rosenau, Pewaukee, WI
9 / 10

Potluck Antipasto Pasta Salad

I love trying new recipes, and this one for Italian pasta salad tops all other varieties I’ve tried. With beans, cheese, sausage and vegetables, it’s a hearty complement to any meal. —Bernadette Nelson, Arcadia, California
10 / 10

Shrimp Pasta Salad

I adore shrimp, so discovering it in this pasta salad recipe was a real treat for me. The lemon-dill sauce is light and bright. —Traci Wynne, Denver, Pennsylvania