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Corn and tomato pasta salad in a white bowl with a silver spoon.

Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad

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  • Author: Jessie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

A simple corn and tomato pasta salad perfect for summer! Vegan, vegetarian.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 pound pasta (we used cavatappi)
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups grilled corn kernels (about 2-3 large ears of grilled corn)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

  1. Cook the pasta in salty, boiling water until it's just shy of al dente (the pasta will continue to soften as it cools: undercooking it just a bit helps it stay al dente once the salad is done!)
  2. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  3. Rinse the pasta with a bit of cold water to halt the cooking process. Set it aside to cool while you prep the sauce. 

Make the dressing:

  1. Zest and juice your lemon, then add zest and juice to a large bowl. (You should have about 1/4 cup of lemon juice).
  2. Add olive oil to lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Assemble:

  1. Add cooked, cooled pasta directly to the lemon juice mixture, then add the reserved pasta water. Stir to evenly coat the pasta with the sauce. Don't worry if there's some liquid left at the bottom of the bowl - the pasta will soak this up as it sits! 
  2. Add grilled corn kernels, tomatoes, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover pasta salad and store in the fridge until you're ready to serve. 

Notes

Don't forget to salt your pasta water! Because there are so few ingredients, seasoning is especially important with this recipe.

Additions and Substitutions. Add extra veggies (bell peppers, peas, grilled zucchini, arugula), protein (rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, diced pepperoni), or cheese (feta, parmesan, white cheddar). Use basil instead of cilantro if you like. Dice a large heirloom tomato instead of using cherry tomatoes. Use grains (farro, quinoa), couscous, or stuffed pasta in place of the dried pasta noodles if you prefer. Whisk a spoonful of mayonnaise into the dressing for a creamy pasta salad if you prefer.

Make sure to taste the pasta salad before you add seasoning at the end - remember, the pasta water will add a nice salty flavor to the pasta, so you may not need as much salt as you would otherwise!

Make-Ahead Tips. Toss the cooked pasta with the lemon dressing as directed, then let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Toss the tomatoes, corn, and cilantro into the pasta salad just before serving for the best texture and optimal freshness. Pasta salad is best eaten the day it's assembled, though it will keep in the fridge for a day or two if you have leftovers. If pasta salad is dry after being in the fridge for awhile, add a splash of olive oil or lemon juice to bring it back to life. We do not recommend freezing cooked pasta salad.