This Cobb Pasta Salad lunchbox is loaded with fresh ingredients and SO easy to put together! Make it ahead for school lunches or a crowd-pleasing dish!

This Cobb Pasta Salad is everything you love in the classic salad, minus the lettuce but it still counts as a salad right?! I mean, if you really missed the crunch…. make a bed of lettuce and top it with this pasta salad. Either way works!

Check out how this pasta salad is made:

What goes in Cobb Pasta Salad

Made with cooked pasta, grape tomatoes, avocado, bacon, deli cuts, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and tossed in Ranch dressing– this salad isn’t playing!

It’s a real crowd pleaser and my go-to for an easy dinner or entertaining dish at a potluck or gettogether.

What makes Cobb Pasta Salad Different than other Pasta Salad Recipes

Usually, pasta salads are a side dish, an afterthought, but this Cobb Pasta Salad is perfect as the main course. It’s refreshing, hearty, and my family can’t get enough.

Another bonus about this pasta salad is it’s great to make at the end of the week when I have leftover deli cuts, hard-boiled eggs, or cooked pasta from lunches and dinner earlier in the week.

How to make Pasta Salad Dressing

There is nothing like homemade dressing to toss with a favorite salad. My go-to recipe includes mayonnaise, milk, parsley, dill, garlic powder, salt, and a pinch of black pepper, whisk to combine and BAM! Homemade dressing! I like to use it with all sorts of salads or even Buffalo Chicken lettuce cups but that’s another recipe for another day.

If you’re in a pinch go for your favorite bottled salad dressing and call it a day, you’ll still get a delicious pasta salad.

How to Pack Cobb Pasta Salad for Lunch

This is one of those amazing recipes you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge for packed lunches. Place a serving of the pasta salad in a chilled thermos or lunch container, cover, and pack into the lunch bag. If you don’t have a thermos, make sure to add a freezer pack into the lunch bag to keep the salad cool.

What Else to Pack with Pasta Salad for Lunch

This pasta salad is full of protein and quite the hearty meal but I like to add a piece of fruit and one of these energy balls for extra nutrition.

I can’t wait for you to try this, you might never go back to regular pasta salad again.

Cobb Pasta Salad Lunchbox

Print Recipe

Loaded with bacon, ham, turkey, cheese, avocado, and tomatoes, this Cobb Pasta Salad is a perfect idea for packed lunches or picnics.

Author: MOMables – Laura
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Units

2 cups cooked macaroni
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
4 slices ham, sliced into 1-inch squares
4 slices turkey, sliced into 1-inch squares
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup Ranch dressing

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, grape tomatoes, bacon, ham, turkey, egg, and cheese. Add the ranch dressing and toss to combine.
If packing for lunch, divide the salad between 4 lunch containers and pack into lunch bags.