I’ve heard it put that August is the Sunday of summer and I kind of love that. While my mind (and Hobby Lobby) are trying to lean us forward into fall, I like to savor this Sunday of summer and enjoy any summer foods or activities that I might not have gotten to yet, like a popsicle at a farmers market, a cannonball into the lake, or summer pasta!
Whether it’s more a potluck or a dinner main, pasta is always a delicious choice. While it’s a hit no matter the season, summer offers the perfect opportunity to switch it up a bit and enjoy a cool summer pasta recipe. Pasta salad is versatile, easy to make, and can be a healthy addition to your weeknight dinner lineup. Whether you like the flavors of chicken sausage with kale, or you prefer Greek shrimp pasta, there are endless pasta recipes available featuring a wide range of fresh summer veggies, cool noodles, and delicious dressings. I’ve gathered together some of my favorite pasta salad recipes that you can make this year to help beat the heat in a scrumptious way.
10 Summer Pasta Recipes
Cherry Tomato Summer Squash Pasta
Some of the best pasta salad recipes make use of fresh summer ingredients like the cherry tomatoes and summer squash in this quick and easy pasta dish by Cookie and Kate. This simple salad can be prepared in only 10 minutes and the fresh vegetables are complimented by a simple dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, garlic, and crumbled goat cheese. Roasting the veggies in this recipe in the oven highlights their fresh flavors. This versatile pasta salad can be served as a side dish, or as a light vegetarian entrée.
Summer Cavatelli with Corn, Tomatoes and Zucchini
Cavatelli is such a fun little pasta noodle, and my kids love the little bites of noodles that are easy to scoop up with a spoon. This cavatelli summer pasta recipe from Skinny Taste makes use of fresh summer veggies like corn, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Roasted garlic and a creamy marinara sauce lend an Italian flavor to this easy summer salad that you can whip up in only 20 minutes! For this recipe, remember to set aside some of the pasta water so you can add it to the sauce if it’s a little too thick after cooking. If you want this cavatelli pasta salad to be an entrée, try adding some protein like grilled chicken breasts or shrimp.
Late Summer Pasta with Cream Sauce
You can use any pasta you want in this decadent pasta salad recipe created by Naturally Ella. This late-summer pasta uses heavy cream, parmesan cheese, garlic, and lemon juice to create a rich and creamy sauce that compliments the late-summer bell peppers, onions, and corn. You can get this easy salad recipe on the table in less than 15 minutes, making it a great option for busy weeknight dinners.
The Best Easy Pasta Salad
One of the best things about pasta salads is how easy they are to make, but A Pinch of Yum promises that this pasta salad is going to be the easiest and best one you’ll ever try! The fresh mozzarella cheese, olives, salami, tomatoes, and pepperoncini in this pasta salad bring to mind a nice thick slice of pizza. Top it off with a simple homemade dressing with vinegar, olive oil, and fresh spices like basil and oregano and you have a delicious pasta salad.
Green Goddess Pasta Salad
The first thing that’ll hit you with this green goddess pasta salad from Camille Styles is the eye-popping fresh green color! Green herbs like parsley, oregano, and basil add flavor to green veggies like peas, cucumbers, avocado, and bell peppers in this healthy vegan salad. Camille insists that you can use any combination of green veggies and herbs you like and still have a delicious salad. If you want to add a boost of healthy green veggies, blend up some spinach with your lemon juice and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Greek Pasta Salad
Greek pasta salads are popular for their simplicity and fresh flavors. After a little trial and error, I came up with the perfect simple Greek pasta salad that uses fresh grape tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, cucumber, and feta cheese over any pasta of your choosing. For a simple dressing combine olive oil, salt and pepper, oregano, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
One-Pot Pasta Primavera with Summer Veggies & Ricotta
Camille Styles gets another shout-out here for her delicious pasta primavera with summer veggies and ricotta. This is a one-pot dinner, and any dinner that cuts down on the amount of dishes I need to do afterwards is a positive in my books! It helps that this pasta primavera is also delicious using veggies like broccolini and asparagus that don’t normally get featured in pasta salads. The fresh veggies and rich cheesy dressing create an amazing pasta salad recipe that you can whip up in under 20 minutes.
Creamy Italian Pasta Salad
There’s something about a creamy dressing that feels decadent and satisfying. Alex over at The Defined Dish has come up with a delicious creamy Italian pasta salad that makes a tasty, rich summer meal. You can use gluten-free pasta in this dish if you’re looking to eat fewer carbs, and you can substitute non-dairy cheese for the mozzarella making this pasta salad highly customizable. This dish comes together in 35 minutes, and you can easily make it ahead of time — but wait to combine the dressing with the salad until you’re ready to eat so the noodles don’t soak it all up.
Classic Macaroni Salad
When you think of pasta salad, macaroni salad is probably one of the first you think of. This classic recipe by Delish using elbow pasta, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, and mayo can be prepped in 15 minutes. This recipe uses celery, plum tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and carrots, but macaroni salad is very adaptable and you can sub in your favorite veggies and meats depending on preference.
Chicken Pasta Salad
If you’re looking for a protein-rich pasta salad that you can serve as an entrée, this chicken pasta salad from RecipeTinEats is a great option. Using rotisserie/grilled chicken and bacon alongside a creamy mayo dressing and crisp celery, bell peppers, carrots and onions provide a nutritious and delicious summer pasta salad meal.
Is Cold Pasta Healthy?
Yes! It turns out that eating pasta that’s been cooled down has a positive effect on how our body processes it. According to the BBC, although most pasta raises our blood glucose levels causing a spike in insulin, chilled pasta does something a little different. Instead of raising your blood sugar levels, cold pasta — like the kind found in these summer pasta salads — becomes a resistant carb that your body treats like fiber causing less of a blood sugar spike. An added benefit of cold pasta is that as your gut breaks it down it feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut, helping create a balanced gut microbiome.
