Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad
A vibrant pasta salad that combines fresh street corn with pasta, colorful vegetables, and a zesty dressing, perfect for summer gatherings and meal prep.
Ingredients
Pasta and Vegetables
- 8 ounces pasta (shells or rotini)
- 2 cups sweet corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro Can be substituted with parsley or omitted
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper Enhances all flavors
Instructions
Cooking Pasta
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop cooking.
- Place the cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl.
Preparing Vegetables
- Cut the kernels off the cobs if using fresh corn. If frozen, ensure it’s thawed and drained; if canned, drain well.
- Dice the red bell pepper, chop the red onion, and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
Mixing Ingredients
- Add corn, red bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro to the bowl with pasta.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- For enhanced flavor, let the salad chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a creamier texture, you can add sour cream or Greek yogurt to the dressing. Consider doubling the recipe for large gatherings as it tends to be very popular!