These Italian pasta salads, which are packed with flavor, are a must for your next picnic or backyard BBQ.
14 Italian Pasta Salad Recipes
Updated on Aug. 01, 2024
1/14
Potluck Antipasto Pasta Salad
Total Time
30 min
Servings
18 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
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
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 306 calories, 19g fat (5g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 426mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 12g protein.
2/14
Chicken Pasta Salad
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My family loves pasta salads, but usually they have too much mayonnaise or oily dressing. Using hummus gives this dish a great taste and texture, while also increasing its nutritional profile. Adding chicken (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well), makes this pasta salad a complete meal. —Jenny Lynch, Rock Island, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 263 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 7g fiber), 16g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 fat.
3/14
Garden Pesto Pasta Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My family and I live on a homestead in the Missouri Ozarks and produce much of our own food. In the summer, when the garden is bursting with fresh vegetables and it’s too hot to cook, I like to use the season's veggies for pesto pasta salad and other cool meals. —Sarah Mathews, Ava, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 267 calories, 17g fat (3g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 431mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 fat, 1-1/2 starch.
4/14
Bow Tie & Spinach Salad
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
With pasta salad, it’s easy to change up ingredients. We like to add grilled chicken and pine nuts, and sometimes we substitute black beans for the garbanzo beans. —Julie Kirkpatrick, Billings, Montana
Nutrition Facts:
2 cups: 318 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 661mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 7g fiber), 13g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat.
5/14
Lemon Parmesan Orzo
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A splash of lemon and a shower of chopped parsley make this orzo one of my family's most requested springtime sides. It's fantastic with chicken, pork and fish, or you can eat it on its own as a light lunch. —Leslie Palmer, Swampscott, Massachusetts
Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup: 191 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 4mg cholesterol, 225mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 7g fiber), 7g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.
6/14
Spinach-Orzo Salad with Chickpeas
Total Time
25 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The first version of this salad was an experiment in mixing together some random ingredients I had on hand. It was a success, and several people at the party asked for the recipe—which meant I had to re-create it! It's healthy, delicious and perfect for warm-weather days. —Glen White, Kissimmee, Florida
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 122 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 259mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 4g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.
For more healthier options, check out our 15 Healthy Pasta Salads.
7/14
Tri-Color Pasta Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Tackle gatherings with a bright side dish. This tri-color pasta salad with broccoli, tomatoes, olives and a hardworking dressing is one of the easiest cold pasta salad recipes you could take. —Amanda Cable, Boxford, Massachusetts
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 149 calories, 4g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 513mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.
8/14
Lemon Mushroom Orzo
Total Time
25 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Sometimes I serve this side dish chilled, and other times we enjoy it hot.
It has a pleasant tinge of lemon and a nice crunch from the pecans.
—Shelly Nelson, Akeley, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 225 calories, 9g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 202mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.
9/14
Salami & Provolone Pasta Salad
Total Time
25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Everyone needs a perfect pasta salad that’s easy to make, especially on busy nights when your family wants a dish that’s fast, light and cool. This is just the thing. —Jill Donley, Warsaw, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup (calculated without optional ingredients): 244 calories, 12g fat (5g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 575mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 11g protein.
10/14
Panzanella Pasta
Total Time
30 min
Servings
12 servings (1 cup each)
From the Recipe Creator:
We take classic panzanella ingredients like ripe tomatoes, peppers and olives and toss them with hot noodles for a hearty pasta dish. My kids especially like the crunchy croutons. —Ashley Pierce, Brantford, Ontario
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 297 calories, 18g fat (5g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 739mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
11/14
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
32 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This colorful antipasto salad is a tasty crowd-pleaser. Guests love the homemade dressing, which is a nice change from bottled Italian. — Linda Harrington, Windham, New Hampshire
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 396 calories, 24g fat (7g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 783mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 13g protein.
12/14
Garlic Parmesan Orzo
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This buttery pasta dish calls for orzo, which cooks quickly and is a nice change from ordinary pasta shapes. "This fantastic recipe was inspired by a similar dish I once tried. It makes a superb side dish anytime. The garlic and Parmesan cheese really stand out. —Stephanie Moon, Boise, Idaho
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 321 calories, 14g fat (8g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 513mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 9g protein.
13/14
Pizza Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A fun summer dish, this is a different salad that tastes as good as it looks. I love to take it to parties—the wonderful zesty flavor really complements a barbecue! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 362 calories, 24g fat (9g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 489mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 13g protein.
14/14
Potluck Antipasto Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I take this fresh-tasting, colorful salad to potluck dinners throughout the year, since everyone who tries it loves it. The pasta, garbanzo beans and pepperoni make it a nice hearty dish. —Agnes Bulkley, Hicksville, New York
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 290 calories, 18g fat (3g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 481mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.
