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Epicurious

Pasta Salad With Corn and Tomatoes

4.2

(136)

A bowl of pastacorn salad with a serving spoon in it.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson

Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or those hot nights when you simply cannot fathom turning on the oven, this corn and pasta salad recipe tastes like summer in a bowl. Fresh corn and in-season tomatoes and basil make it sing, though you can substitute defrosted frozen corn in a pinch. The easiest way to cut corn off its cob is with a rimmed baking sheet, small bowl, and serrated knife: Place the bowl upside down on the baking sheet, hold the ear vertically on top, and slice downward. All the kernels will fall neatly within the sheet. If you use frozen corn, opt for a quality brand since it will provide a lot of the flavor and texture in this easy recipe. To make this a vegan corn pasta salad, swap in a ¼ cup nutritional yeast for the grated Parmesan. You can also use different pasta shapes like orecchiette, rotini, or jaunty elbow macaroni. Substitute chopped parsley for some or all of the basil, or throw in a handful of chopped mint or oregano.

The garlic-basil dressing is versatile too. Drizzle it onto a Caprese salad or mix in some mayo to turn it into a sandwich spread, use it to dress baby spinach or microgreens, or add it to chunks of roasted eggplant and chopped green olives for a caponata-style summer side dish.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    10 minutes

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated on a Mircroplane
1½ cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 3 ears) or frozen, thawed
1¼ lb. plum tomatoes (about 6), chopped
8 oz. penne pasta, freshly cooked
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 5 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, ½ cup chopped fresh basil, and 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated on a Microplane, in a large bowl to blend.

    Step 2

    Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add 1½ cups fresh or frozen, thawed corn kernels, and sauté until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add corn to dressing in bowl. Add 1¼ lb. plum tomatoes, chopped, 8 oz. penne pasta, freshly cooked, and ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese; toss to blend. Season salad with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Editor’s note: This corn and pasta salad recipe was first printed in August 2017. Head this way for more of our best summer side dishes →

TagsSummerPastaPasta SaladPenneCornVegetablePlum TomatoTomatoMainSideDinnerNut FreeVegetarianQuickEasyWeeknight MealsSauteLabor Day
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Reviews (136)

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  • Your food is so good

    • Anonymous

    • jackson,mo

    • 5/31/2022

  • Just made this! It's quick and easy and delicious. I thought the combo of corn and pasta odd, but decided to try anyway. Glad I did!

    • sandycharlotte

    • Cary, NC

    • 7/26/2020

  • LINDALOU26 FROM LOS ANGELES, which recipe do you recommend? I looked up and there are tons from that site :). Thanks, Rev. Sylvia

    • mingo321

    • usa

    • 6/12/2020

  • This is a wonderful, versatile summer pasta salad that can be used for many occasions -- dinner, lunch, picnics, BBQs, whatever you please! I made it basically as is and we really enjoyed it for a light dinner but you could revise it a number of ways to suit your tastes and needs. I'm keeping this one on hand for future reference!

    • leah_boyer

    • Long Beach, CA

    • 8/22/2018

  • This is one of my favorite late summer recipes. I do a few things differently than the recipe. I mix up the sauce ahead while skipping the vinegar since the tomatoes provide acid. I also toss the pasta directly into the sauce after draining then serve it while still warm or leave it at room temperature. It is a great way to showcase in season corn and tomatoes because their flavors shine through.

    • Anonymous

    • St. Louis, MO

    • 8/14/2018

  • A great light summer pasta salad. Thought it was great -added some fresh mozarella as we had some handy - loved it. I'd say it is a 3.5 forks (I save the 4 forks for amazing.)

    • ninadg

    • 8/4/2015

  • Delicious summer salad. I bought some expensive tomatoes from the market that really made this salad taste great. I would definitely make it again.

    • bimes

    • 6/22/2015

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