📋 Table of Contents

1. 1. Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad
2. 2. Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
3. 3. BLT Pasta Salad
4. 4. Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
5. 5. Ham & Cheese Pasta Salad
6. 6. Black-Eyed Pea Pasta Salad
7. 7. Southern Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
8. 8. Southern-Style Tuna Pasta Salad
9. 9. Bacon Cornbread Crumble Pasta Salad
10. 10. Crispy Fried Chicken Pasta Salad
11. 11. Peach & Prosciutto Pasta Salad
12. 12. Sweet Corn & Bacon Pasta Salad
13. Shopping List
14. FAQ

Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad

Pimento cheese is a Southern staple in its own right, and folded into pasta salad, it turns into a creamy, tangy dressing unlike anything you’d find in a typical potluck lineup.

Sharp cheddar and diced pimentos coat the pasta in a rich, slightly tangy sauce, giving every bite that unmistakable pimento cheese flavor in a completely new format.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 jar diced pimentos, drained
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Mix mayonnaise, cheddar, and pimentos into a creamy dressing.
2. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta.
3. Chill at least 1 hour.
4. Toss again before serving.

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

All the tangy, mustardy flavor of a classic deviled egg gets folded straight into a pasta salad, so you get that same familiar bite in every forkful.

Chopped hard-boiled eggs sit throughout a creamy mustard-mayo dressing, finished with a dusting of paprika that gives it that same deviled egg look and flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp mustard, paprika

Instructions

1. Whisk mayonnaise and mustard together for the dressing.
2. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta.
3. Fold in chopped eggs.
4. Dust with paprika before serving.

BLT Pasta Salad

Everything you love about a BLT sandwich, minus the bread, tossed together into a pasta salad that holds up beautifully at any summer gathering.

Crispy bacon, shredded lettuce, and diced tomato sit throughout a creamy dressing, giving every bite that same salty-crisp-juicy combination the classic sandwich is known for.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomato, mayo dressing

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with mayo dressing.
2. Fold in crumbled bacon.
3. Add lettuce and tomato just before serving.
4. Toss gently and serve.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

For pickle lovers, this one delivers a genuinely tangy punch — chopped dill pickles and a splash of pickle brine give the whole salad a bright, zesty edge.

The pickle brine cuts through the creamy dressing, keeping the whole salad tasting fresh and tangy rather than heavy, with fresh dill adding an herby finish.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 cup dill pickles, chopped
• 2 tbsp pickle brine
• 3/4 cup mayo dressing, fresh dill

Instructions

1. Whisk mayo dressing with pickle brine.
2. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta.
3. Fold in chopped dill pickles.
4. Garnish with fresh dill.

Ham & Cheese Pasta Salad

A great way to use up leftover holiday ham, this pasta salad pairs diced ham with sharp cheddar in a slightly sweet dressing that keeps things interesting.

The salty ham and sharp cheddar balance nicely against a touch of sweet pickle relish in the dressing, making for a well-rounded, easy salad the whole family tends to like.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cups diced ham
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 3/4 cup mayo, sweet pickle relish

Instructions

1. Mix mayo with sweet pickle relish for the dressing.
2. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta.
3. Fold in diced ham and cheddar.
4. Chill before serving.

Black-Eyed Pea Pasta Salad

Black-eyed peas bring a Southern staple straight into pasta salad territory, tossed with bell pepper in a light vinaigrette for a fresh, hearty side.

The black-eyed peas add a creamy, earthy bite against the crisp bell pepper, all tied together in a bright, tangy vinaigrette that keeps the whole salad tasting light.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1 can black-eyed peas, drained
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• Southern-style vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with vinaigrette.
2. Fold in black-eyed peas and bell pepper.
3. Chill at least 30 minutes.
4. Toss again before serving.

Southern Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

A Southern spin on the classic Caesar, this one adds crispy chicken to a familiar romaine and parmesan combination, all tossed with pasta for a heartier take.

Crispy chicken pieces and shaved parmesan sit throughout the creamy Caesar-dressed pasta, with crunchy croutons scattered on top for a satisfying textural contrast.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cups crispy chicken, chopped
• 1 cup romaine, chopped
• Parmesan, Caesar dressing, croutons

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with Caesar dressing.
2. Fold in chopped chicken and romaine.
3. Top with shaved parmesan.
4. Add croutons just before serving.

Southern-Style Tuna Pasta Salad

A budget-friendly Southern classic, this tuna pasta salad leans on sweet relish and a creamy mayo dressing for a comforting, familiar flavor.

Flaked tuna and crunchy celery sit throughout a creamy, slightly sweet dressing, making for a filling salad that tastes like something out of a Southern grandmother’s kitchen.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cans tuna, drained
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3/4 cup mayo, sweet relish

Instructions

1. Mix mayo with sweet relish for the dressing.
2. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta.
3. Fold in flaked tuna and celery.
4. Chill before serving.

Bacon Cornbread Crumble Pasta Salad

This one takes inspiration from Southern cornbread salad, scattering crumbled cornbread and crispy bacon over a creamy pasta base for real textural contrast.

The crumbled cornbread adds a soft, slightly sweet crunch against the creamy pasta underneath, while crispy bacon bits bring a salty, smoky finish to every bite.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cups crumbled cornbread
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3/4 cup creamy dressing

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with creamy dressing.
2. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Top with crumbled cornbread just before serving.
4. Finish with crispy bacon bits.

Crispy Fried Chicken Pasta Salad

Chopped crispy fried chicken tossed with pasta and a sweet honey mustard dressing makes for one of the heartiest, most indulgent salads on this list.

The chicken stays crunchy on the outside even after tossing, while a sweet-tangy honey mustard dressing coats the pasta in a glossy, flavorful layer.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 cups crispy fried chicken tenders, chopped
• 3/4 cup honey mustard dressing
• Fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with honey mustard dressing.
2. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Fold in chopped fried chicken just before serving.
4. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Peach & Prosciutto Pasta Salad

A slightly more elevated option that leans on Southern peach season, this salad pairs sweet, juicy peaches with salty prosciutto for a genuinely elegant flavor pairing.

Sliced fresh peaches add a juicy sweetness against the salty, slightly crisp prosciutto, finished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze that ties the whole dish together.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 2 ripe peaches, sliced
• 4 oz prosciutto, torn
• Balsamic glaze, olive oil

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with olive oil.
2. Fold in sliced peaches and torn prosciutto.
3. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Drizzle with balsamic glaze just before serving.

Sweet Corn & Bacon Pasta Salad

Closing out the list with a simple, crowd-pleasing combination, sweet corn and crispy bacon come together in a creamy dressing that’s easy to love.

The natural sweetness of the corn balances nicely against the salty, smoky bacon, all coated in a rich, creamy dressing that keeps every bite satisfying.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta
• 1.5 cups corn kernels
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3/4 cup creamy dressing

Instructions

1. Toss cooked, cooled pasta with creamy dressing.
2. Fold in corn kernels.
3. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Top with crumbled bacon just before serving.

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