20 Pasta Salad Recipes to Rely on When It’s Too Hot to Make Anything Else

Pasta salad could basically count as its own food group during the summer. It’s what you turn to when you need an easy side dish to bring to a gathering, a no-heat lunch you can take into the office, or a simple dinner that won’t heat up your house. Pasta salad recipes are so versatile, and there are so many different variations that you could eat all summer long without getting sick of it (I know I do). Plus, the only actual cooking you typically need to do is boiling some pasta, and the rest comes together by simply chopping some ingredients and tossing them in a bowl. If you load it up with enough mix-ins, pasta salad can totally count as a meal, but you could also add in some grilled chicken, salami, chickpeas, or even hard-boiled eggs for some extra protein.

If eating cold pasta gives you the ick, this recipe roundup is not for you. But for my girlies who are fully on board with the idea of a salad that’s mostly just carbs, you’re in good company. These pasta salad recipes are tasty enough to make on repeat all summer long: