We all love things cooked on a smoky grill in the summer, of course, but what really gets me jazzed about summer eating is pasta. Whether served chilled as a salad or warm as a main dish, pasta is a food group all its own when it comes to summer meals. I’ve gathered my favorite Summer Pasta Recipes here for you to enjoy. Think of pasta as a blank canvas that mixes beautifully with vegetables, herbs, legumes, simple proteins, and light dressings, while providing plenty of carbs to keep you energized for fun in the summer sun.
Cold Pasta Salads
My love of cold pasta salads is legendary here at Casa SoupAddict, and the family knows not to invite me to a cookout that doesn’t have a creamy pasta salad to heap alongside the cheeseburgers and corn on the cob. (Just kidding. Sort of!) Here are a few of my favorites that get made on repeat throughout the summer.
My Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad might just deserve a permanent spot in your summer rotation. It's an inspired combination of the classic pasta salad and irresistible deviled eggs. Egg yolks enrich the creamy dressing, while pickle relish, crunchy veggies, fresh dill, and smoked paprika add great flavor. The whole thing comes together easily for a make-ahead side perfect for picnic potlucks and backyard cookouts.
This Italian Grinder Tortellini Salad takes all the best parts of the classic deli sandwich and turns them into a craveworthy pasta salad. The creamy vinaigrette keeps everything perfectly coated, and the mix of cured meats and tangy pepperoncini makes every bite fresh and interesting.
A beautiful, filling pasta salad with all of the best flavors of a BLT. Hearty enough to be the main dish, this BLT Pasta Salad has it all: bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, plus avocado, croutons, and a delicious creamy pesto dressing.
You know that addictive cowboy caviar dip everyone always devours at parties? I've turned it into a proper meal with pasta, mozzarella, and ham. The smoky vinaigrette makes this one seriously crave-worthy. It's an easy, summery pasta salad you'll want to serve on repeat.
For all my pickle lovers out there, this version of a summer pasta salad is pure pickle heaven. It combines all the creamy comfort we expect with the puckery punch of chopped dill pickles, and a dressing that's loaded with both fresh and dried dill. On whim, I added a little charcuterie for a salty bite that fits right in with the pickles' tang.
A fresh and flavorful celebration of summer ingredients! The creamy pesto dressing ties together sweet corn, bell peppers, crispy pancetta, and succulent seasoned, shrimp for a light, summery meal or side dish.
This chilled dish is actually a whole meal here at Casa SoupAddict, and one of our summer go-to's. It's so easy to prepare and can be made in the morning and refrigerated all day for a relaxing, easy-going dinner. Everyone loves this take on spaghetti!
Pasta salads are summer staples, and the easier the better! Summer Tortellini Pasta Salada is a quick and easy option made with fresh, refrigerated tortellini and lots of summer vegetables, with a luscious buttermilk dill dressing. Perfect for summer cookouts!
Warm pasta meals are a godsend in the summer, as the components are easy to cook and assemble into one cohesive dish without feeling like you’re spending the entire afternoon behind the stove. Pasta can be the basis for lighter, meatless dishes, or combined with proteins for an extra hearty meal.
When it's just too hot, inside and out, to fire up the oven for a slice of 'za, take this meal-worthy shortcut. It takes all of our favorite pizza flavors and combines them with cheese-stuffed tortellini. I don't know about you, but it's not possible for me to be grouchy about pizza and pasta on the same fork.
Craving a cheesy, carby, flavor bomb? This Tex-Mex Tortellini is your weeknight hero! Cheesy tortellini, zesty Tex-Mex seasoned veggies are tossed with a creamy sauce that's comfort food with an epic South-of-the-border kick.
Being in the landlocked Midwest, scallops have special-treat-only status because they're often so … iffy. But when I luck out, I love this linguine treatment. Start with a jammy tomato sauté, add flavor-boosting olives, capers, and Greek seasonings, and you have a scrumptious meal.
Move over lasagna! Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells are the cheesy, veggie-loaded Mexican-Italian mashup we didn't know we needed. Big shells stuffed with black beans, spices, and a zesty enchilada sauce. It's a vegetarian fiesta in every bite!
Dinner is a delicious slam-dunk when you cook up this colorful, veggie-loaded Mexican Pasta Bake. This hearty pasta dish features classic Mexican flavors and is made extra scrumptious with lots of zesty chorizo and a creamy red sauce.
The classic American comfort food gets a super fun preparation: baked into a sliceable pie stuffed with cheese and sweet-and-savory caramelized onions.
Summer's fresh sweet-and-tangy cherry tomatoes make a quick and delicious olive oil that's perfect for a summer version of spaghetti. Angel Hair Pomodorino is weeknight-easy but tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
Fresh spring broccoli is both tender and crisp and makes an interesting and tasty foil to carby, soft pasta. This dish looks unassuming on the plate but surprises with a light saffron shallot sauce, lots of leafy green herbs, and a shock of red pepper flakes and spicy mustard to hold your attention — and affection.
I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing this list of pasta dishes made for summer meals, and that it’s inspired you to try one. View my full collection of pasta recipes here on the blog for even more carby comfort food. Here’s to delicious eating all summer long!
