7 Heart Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes

Sizzling burgers, ice cold popsicles and refreshing pasta salads usually come to mind when you think of summer picnics and backyard barbecues. But if you’re following a heart healthy diet, you may be wondering if those pasta salads can still fit into your weekly meal plan. They can when you make one of HealtheCooks' best heart healthy pasta salad recipes made with nutritious, mouth-watering ingredients that make these picnic side dishes low in sodium and low in fat.

Traditional pasta salads are often made with high calorie, high cholesterol ingredients such as mayo, high fat cheese, processed meats, carb-heavy pasta and creamy store-bought dressings, which make this side dish full of fat and sodium.

Our heart healthy pasta salad recipes call for whole wheat pasta, lean chicken, low calorie vegetables and fiber-rich beans to create low sodium side dishes that are good for you. So next time you’re hosting the family picnic or just bringing a side dish to the neighborhood potluck, share the food and share good health with one of these easy pasta salads!

Nothing tastes better alongside juicy, grilled burgers than a generous helping of freshly made pasta salad. Now you can enjoy this delicious summertime side dish with these easy and healthy pasta salad recipes.

Whether you like your pasta salad spicy, creamy or loaded with protein, these heart healthy pasta salads are full of ingredients that are low sodium, low fat, and good for your heart!

Looking for more healthy picnic foods? Check out these heart healthy salad recipes that are full of hearty vegetables, fiber and protein to keep you feeling full.

Breaking out the grill? Check out these healthy grilling tips and recipes.

Are you on a gluten free diet? Here’s how to spot hidden gluten at a barbecue.