Salad recipes

Melrose plates: chicken and pasta salad with mandarin oranges, water chestnuts and a honey-mustard poppy seed yogurt dressing. A lighter chicken-pasta luncheon salad served on lettuce.

A chilled shrimp and vermicelli salad loaded with peas, green onions, dill pickles, hard-boiled eggs, and bell pepper in a tangy sour cream and mustard dressing. A hearty make-ahead salad that feeds a crowd.

Italian-American braised chicken and sausage with mushrooms, arugula, and red peppers in a rosemary-wine sauce served over linguini. A hearty Sunday supper.

Curried chicken pasta salad with red grapes, pineapple chunks, and a creamy orange-curry dressing. A sweet-savory cold pasta dish that works for lunch, potlucks, or meal prep.

Chilled orzo pasta salad with fresh corn, smoked chicken, red pepper, and basil in a sweet-spicy rice vinegar and lime dressing. Topped with toasted pine nuts.

A cold tuna pasta salad with green chiles, horseradish mayo, green olives, and avocado tossed in shell pasta. Let it sit 2 hours for the flavors to meld.

Cold cucumber pasta salad in a sweet vinegar dressing with mustard, parsley, and sliced onion. A tangy, refreshing no-mayo summer side dish perfect for cookouts.

A fresh, no-cook pasta salad tossing ditalini with raw zucchini rounds, chopped fresh tomato, sliced onion, olive oil, and parsley. Simple Italian summer eating at its best, ready in 40 minutes.

Garlic fettuccine with broccoli and walnuts tossed in a seasoned lemon-basil butter sauce. A quick 30-minute pasta dinner that pairs well with a fresh spinach salad.

Cold pasta salad with cubed Spam, cheddar cheese, crunchy veggies, and a smoky BBQ-mustard-mayo dressing. No cooking required beyond boiling the pasta!

Chilled penne pasta salad with julienned carrots, zucchini, green onions, and fresh basil in a light sesame-cream dressing. A vibrant make-ahead side dish.

Tender shrimp tossed with pasta in a bright lemon-herb dressing spiked with tarragon and rosemary makes an elegant cold salad perfect for warm-weather gatherings.

Cold tuna pasta salad with ziti, fresh basil, red bell pepper, and lemon juice. A no-cook, five-ingredient summer main course that chills before serving.

Fava bean and tiny pasta salad with blanched carrots, chives, and a red wine vinegar-basil dressing. A light, marinated vegan side served at room temperature.

Salmon and pasta stuffed tomatoes: chilled macaroni salad with canned salmon, yogurt, dill, cucumber, and carrot, spooned into fresh tomato cups. A no-cook summer lunch.

Pasta Mexicali is a cold penne salad loaded with black beans, cannellini, corn, red pepper, and cilantro in a cumin-cayenne vinaigrette. Vegetarian, protein-packed potluck stunner.