21 Picnic-Perfect Pasta Salad Recipes to Enjoy All Summer Long

A few of our favorite ingredients united in savory harmony. It's meaty, briny, creamy and tossed in balsamic-mustard vinaigrette for good measure.

This picnic beauty has all the crunchy elements of the iconic sandwich, minus the bread. We'll take extra black pepper bacon on the side, please.

Buttery avocado and easy canned beans boost the protein content big time. We're also betting that this dish will fit right in at your next Taco Tuesday.

If the crispy bacon isn't enough to sway you, maybe the lemon-garlic breadcrumb topping will.

This fruity pasta salad is all about texture. Think crisp apples, juicy grapes and crunchy chopped pecans. Just be sure not to overcook the pasta on this one especially.

Proof that lettuce (and Caesar salad in general) doesn't need to be boring. The dressing calls on avocado instead of eggs for its creamy, rich texture.

Spiralized cukes are even more refreshing than standard zoodles, don't @ us. And you might have your doubts, but it'll turn you into a tofu fan with just one bite.

It's as close to store-bought, old-school mac salad as you can get, only way more flavorful. Chalk it up to swapping gloppy mayo for tangy sour cream and apple cider vinegar.

Salty miso dressing + spicy shishito and red chile peppers + sweet-tart strawberries = an unexpected yet epic barbecue side.

Proof that simplicity can be downright delicious. Buy your zoodles pre-spiralized, or slice them yourself with a peeler or grater.

Not all pasta salads need to be served cold. Whip up this crisp, citrusy number for a cool alfresco dinner on the patio.

Behold: an autumnal pasta salad that you'll want to make a part of your weekly rotation come September. Tender, sweet butternut squash is just the match for tangy goat cheese and crunchy pine nuts.

Give the elbow macaroni a rest and trade it for tender orzo. The shape alone makes the dish appear more elegant.

Peanut noodles taste just as divine cold as they do warm. Here, they're loaded with crisp veggies, like cucumbers and carrots, tender chicken and fresh cilantro.

Does it get summerier than fresh herbs, summer squash, zucchini and corn? We're betting not. (BTW, you'll want to drizzle the garlicky basil vinaigrette on *everything*.)

Come for the charred corn, summer tomatoes and chopped avocado. Stay for the citrusy chive-yogurt dressing and pearl mozzarella.

Crumbled feta, mixed olives, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, hard salami—yup, gang's all here. Don't even get us started on the oregano-basil dressing.

How does this protein-packed side come together so quickly, you ask? You can thank our favorite cheat in the book: shredded rotisserie chicken.

Believe it or not, hulled strawberries give summer tomatoes a run for their money. (After all, balsamic glaze is their soulmate.)

This dish will change the way you see the quintessential college dinner forever. Think shredded veggies, slivered almonds and a sweet-and-sour dressing.

As if trading elbows for cheese-stuffed tortellini wasn't ingenious enough, smashing the cukes ensures that they'll soak up as much of the flavorful vinaigrette as possible.