Cobb Pasta Salad School Lunch

Keep reading to learn how to prep it ahead plus all the tips for keeping it fresh in the lunchbox.

Easy School Lunch Idea: Cobb Pasta Salad

This Cobb Pasta Salad is everything you love in the classic salad turned into a hearty, kid-favorite school lunch you can easily prep ahead.

Another bonus about this pasta salad is that it’s great to make at the end of the week when you have leftover deli cuts, hard-boiled eggs, or cooked pasta from lunches and dinner earlier in the week. Pasta salads are my go-to for easy and filling lunches for teens. After this one, be sure to try this Thai Pasta Salad for the lunchbox.

Keep it simple using what you have on hand and pack Ranch or your favorite dressing to toss and enjoy a filling and healthy meal kids will praise about!

What is in Cobb Pasta Salad

Pasta, veggies, and protein make this Cobb Pasta Salad a balanced school lunch that promises to become a go-to at your house! This salad includes:

• Pasta: macaroni or shells.
• Grape tomatoes: a classic Cobb salad ingredient to add freshness and nutrition.
• Bacon: deliciously cooked and chopped!
• Deli meat: chopped ham and turkey.
• Hard-boiled eggs: check this post to see how to cook easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.
• Shredded cheese: I added cheddar, but any other cheese you have on hand works.
• Avocado: optional for extra creaminess and nutrition.
• Ranch dressing: or your favorite homemade or store-bought salad dressing.

Make next: Deli Meat Salad

How to make Cobb Pasta Salad

To make this Cobb Pasta Salad you just need to combine cooked pasta with the toppings. The result is a nutritious school lunch ready to eat or to store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Here’s the step-by-step:

1. Combine
   Grab a large bowl, add all the ingredients, and toss to combine. Ranch coats the salad, so the diced avocado won’t be as noticeable once it browns. If you still don’t want brown avocado, omit it or add it right before serving.
2. Refrigerate
   Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for two hours or up to 3 days.

Check out how this pasta salad is made:

How to Pack Cobb Pasta Salad for School 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 along with an ice pack if needed.

Check these pro tips for saving time and packing this Cobb Pasta Salad school lunch properly every time:

Cooked pasta storage tip
Toss plain cooked pasta with olive oil to prevent it from becoming sticky. Once coated in olive oil, refrigerate it for up to 5 days.

Make ahead
Once you add the other ingredients to the pasta, most pasta salads can be made up to 3 days ahead. This is convenient and also allows the pasta to have more flavor.

Storage
Pasta salads can be stored inside a traditional lunch container, with compartments or without, or inside a thermos if you want to keep it chilled.

Add more nutrition
You can pack this tasty school lunch with extra veggies, fruits, or epic snacks such as these Chocolate Energy Bites, homemade cheese crackers, or wheat thins. If you do so, place them in a separate container or compartment so everything remains fresh and intact.