What goes with pasta salad? Serve this versatile dish as a predominant or a aspect! You may attempt it as a aspect dish for burgers, sandwiches, rooster or fish, or as a predominant dish for lunch or dinner with different salads, slaws, and extra.

Pasta salad is considered one of our summer time staples: it’s so hearty and versatile and might be served in so some ways. However what goes with pasta salad? What pairs completely with this crowd-pleasing aspect dish?
The enjoyable half is that this: pasta salad works as both a predominant dish or a aspect! Listed here are a couple of of the primary concepts for what to serve pasta salad:
- Serve it for lunch with veggies and dip, crackers or bread, or recent fruit
- Serve it as a dinner with different summer time salads like bean salad, cucumber salad, or watermelon salad
- Serve it as a aspect for burgers, sandwiches, rooster, or fish.
As two cookbook authors and recipe specialists, Alex and I’ve made a lot of chilly pasta salad recipes. Hold studying for all of the dishes we prefer to serve alongside!
What to serve with pasta salad
For those who’re serving pasta salad as a aspect, this is an excellent predominant dish to serve alongside: the Caprese sandwich! This riff on the basic Italian salad from Capri layers the basic components as a sandwich filling, with an irresistibly creamy pesto aioli that provides a pop of savory brightness to every chunk.
These grilled veggie kabobs skewer all one of the best greens and are simple to throw on the grill! They’re an excellent aspect dish for any summer time meal, and work with pasta salad whether or not it is a predominant or a aspect.
Cucumber salad is right for all the things from summer time potlucks to patio barbecues to picnics, and pairs completely with all the things from salmon to a grilled burger to pasta salad. The thinly sliced cucumbers and onions are salty, tangy, and calmly candy unexpectedly, a pleasant distinction to savory pasta salad.
Grilled rooster is a superb predominant dish to serve with pasta salad! We’ve discovered the trick to an ultra-moist piece of meat that melts in your mouth. Each time we serve it, everybody raves.
What goes with pasta salad? Strive a pesto grilled cheese! Including offers one of the best garlicky, herby taste to the gooey melty cheese, making it one irresistible sandwich that is fast to make.
Bean salad gives a pleasant tangy distinction to pasta salad: plus it is filled with plant-based protein so it helps to make a filling meal! Our recipe is a recent spin and really easy to throw collectively for picnics and potlucks.
Apple slaw makes a tangy, recent counterpoint to pasta salad! It pairs cabbage with carrots, apples, and a creamy poppy seed dressing: the right recent, simple aspect dish!
Sandwiches pair nicely with pasta salad, so how about this one with salmon and creamy dill sauce! There’s one thing so satisfying a few good fish sandwich, and why not swap in salmon for the standard breaded fish? Add a fillet of pan seared or grilled salmon onto a bun, then high with feta crumbles, crimson onion and creamy, lemony dill sauce.
For those who’re serving pasta salad as a lunch thought, it is good with a aspect of greens and ranch dip! All you want are some uncooked carrots, celery, and broccoli to spherical out the meal in a recent and wholesome method. This ranch dip is made with Greek yogurt, or you should utilize hummus as a vegan choice!
Salads that pair nicely with pasta salad are vegetable based mostly salads which are large on veggies, to distinction the pasta and creamy dressing. This lighter spin on the basic broccoli salad is cunchy and savory candy, it stars broccoli, raisins, and a flavor-popping dressing.
For those who want vegetarian predominant to go along with pasta salad, attempt a veggie burger! There are many bought choices obtainable on the grocery, or make it selfmade! This veggie burger is simple to grill or pan fry, satisfyingly hearty, and certain to please even essentially the most devoted meat-eaters.
This is an excellent recipe that goes with pasta salad: kale slaw! This colourful mixture of recent veggies is straightforward to place collectively and tastes refreshingly candy tart. It stars hearty kale, crisp apples, candy carrot, and a zingy maple apple cider vinegar dressing.
Corn salad is a enjoyable recipe to serve with pasta salad for contrasting flavors and textures. This one is all about recent taste: candy bursts of corn, juicy tomatoes, and herbaceous basil pair with a tangy, gentle French dressing.
Fruit skewers are the right pairing with pasta salad. It is a easy idea that’s extra like an thought than a recipe: nevertheless it makes everybody go loopy for pure, recent fruit. Use no matter fruit you want and if desired, serve with our favourite 3 ingredient fruit dip.
Sandwiches go nicely with pasta salad, and this one is a fan favourite! It’s principally a vegetarian rooster salad sandwich, or a chickpea tuna salad. Made with smashed chickpeas, crunchy veggies, and a creamy dressing, it is so tasty that it’s turn into considered one of our hottest chickpea recipes ever!
Watermelon salad is an ideal distinction with pasta salad: it is recent, juicy, and candy! This basic mixture of candy juice melon and salty cheese is considered one of summer time’s nice pleasures. This summer time salad has grown to huge recognition in recent times, and for good cause: it’s past scrumptious, and quick and simple to make,
Pair pasta salad with this loaded hummus dip for a enjoyable and simple meal, both lunch or dinner! Unfold hummus on a platter or bowl, then high with cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese and dip with pita chips or bread.
For those who’re planning to serve pasta salad with a couple of summer time salads, this dil potato salad is a superb choice! Suppose: tangy potatoes, drenched in a naturally creamy sauce made with olive oil and vinegar, punchy recent herbs, and savory capers to spherical it out.
This is an excellent pairing with pasta salad: the rooster pesto sandwich! It stars grilled rooster breast topped with herby basil pesto, recent mozzarella, and ripe tomatoes, all nestled between two slices of crusty bread.
A strawberry salad with greens is a pleasant distinction to serve with pasta salad. This one makes use of our favourite balsamic French dressing dressing to intensify the intense crimson candy berries. Paired with crimson onions and toasted almonds, it’s a easy and scrumptious aspect everybody loves!
Pasta salad is ideal with nearly any predominant dish. This baked salmon recipe is our whole go-to, from when buddies go to to a fast weeknight dinner. You’ll by no means want one other recipe! it is completely seasoned, has a crispy high, and it is easy to make.
Considered one of our easiest recipes to pair with pasta salad is that this simple arugula salad! You do not even have to make a dressing: simply toss the newborn arugula leaves with lemon juice, olive oil, and Parmesan shavings. It is so refreshing! Add sliced apples as one other taste distinction.
What goes with pasta salad? Strive vegan lentil sloppy joes! They are a deliciously filling plant-based dinner made with lentils, tomatoes, and seasonings. The tangy taste makes them a crowd-pleaser, and so they’re an enormous hit at our home. Serve on a bun with pickles for the true sloppy joe expertise.
Pan seared rooster breast is a superb predominant dish for pasta salad, and this recipe comes out irresistibly seasoned with a golden brown crust and a juicy, tender inside! Listed here are all our suggestions and tips to this household favourite. You too can chop it up and add it to pasta salad to make it extra filling!
Grilled shrimp makes a straightforward meal out of pasta salad. This grilled shrimp is completely seasoned and excessive scrumptious! It’s simple and cooks up in 5 minutes.
A enjoyable pairing with pasta salad is that this garbanzo bean salad: it is protein-packed and bursting with recent flavors! Easy components and a fast prep time make it a straightforward and wholesome meal prep choice.
Cornbread works as a aspect for pasta salad, and this one is a household favourite! It is made in a forged iron skillet (although you should utilize any kind of oven-safe skillet that’s available). Bake it up and it has simply the best thickness, moist crumb, and savory sweetness you need in an excellent cornbread.
Make a easy meal out of pasta salad by including grilled salmon! This is our tried-and-true simple methodology that comes out tender with a calmly crisp crust. Even higher, it’s sprinkled with our tasty magical seasoning mix. This salmon seasoning tastes so good, you’ll wish to put it on all the things.
Final up in what to serve with pasta salad, this is a fast cooking predominant dish everybody loves: shrimp kabobs! This grilled recipe is a brand new household favourite: it’s acquired a customized seasoning mix that makes this juicy seafood style irresistible! Take them excessive with our creamy Comeback Sauce for one of the best deal with!
Prime pasta salad recipes
Alex and I really like pasta salad, and we make it typically in the summertime or for lunches. Listed here are a couple of several types of chilly pasta salad recipes:
- Basic: This Basic Pasta Salad has a mixture of greens, cheese, olives, and a zingy French dressing.
- Mediterranean: This Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Greek Pasta Salad characteristic totally different combos of recent veggies, feta cheese, and Mediterranean components.
- Caprese: This Caprese Pasta Salad is straightforward with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. This Bow Tie Pasta Salad has related components.
- Dill Pickle: This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is all about tangy, briny taste.
- Pesto: Pesto Pasta Salad has a easy creamy pesto dressing.
- Rooster, Shrimp, and Tuna: Strive these classics with protein: Rooster Pasta Salad, Shrimp Pasta Salad, and Tuna Pasta Salad.
- Orzo: Make Orzo Pasta Salad with this rice-shaped pasta.
- Tortellini: This Tortellini Salad has tomatoes, artichokes and a zingy dressing.
Description
What goes with pasta salad? This versatile dish could be a predominant or a aspect! Serve it as a aspect dish for burgers, sandwiches, rooster or fish, or as a predominant dish with salads, slaws, and extra. There are such a lot of methods to eat this tasty recipe! This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is bursting with recent taste! Combine up a batch as a straightforward aspect dish or fast lunch.
- 8 ounces fusilli pasta
- 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced into half moons (2 cups)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup solar dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- 1 handful thinly sliced crimson onion
- 2 cups child arugula (non-compulsory)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon crimson wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, grated (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Recent floor black pepper, to style
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbles (omit for vegan and add extra salt)
- Begin a big pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta till al dente in line with the package deal directions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it till it’s room temperature.
- In the meantime, slice the cucumber and tomatoes, chop the sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, and slice the onion.
- In a big bowl, whisk collectively the lemon zest, lemon juice, crimson wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and kosher salt. Then whisk within the olive oil.
- As soon as the pasta is completed, add it to the big bowl of dressing and toss with the chopped greens. Add the feta cheese and recent floor black pepper and stir to mix.
- Style and add extra salt to style if needed. Serve instantly. Shops as much as 5 days refrigerated (leftovers style nice; permit to return to room temperature and add a swirl extra olive oil or a bit extra salt as needed).
- Class: Salad
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: American
- Weight loss plan: Vegetarian

