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Tomato Corn Pasta Salad is the perfect summer pasta salad to serve at barbecues and picnics! It’s full of seasonal produce and tossed in a sweet and tart honey lime vinaigrette. It’s so easy to make and ready in just 30-minutes!
Pasta salad is a no brainer side dish to make for summer barbecues, with my tomato corn shrimp salad, of course. It goes great with grilled meats like these steak fajita skewers with cilantro chimichurri or these sweet and spicy grilled chicken and pineapple skewers.
Dill pickle pasta salad , tuna pasta salad, or this chicken bacon ranch pasta salad are the usual suspects to show up on my table when I want a creamy pasta salad, but if you prefer to keep pasta salads mayo-free this vinaigrette pasta salad is the one to make!
This Tomato Corn Pasta Salad is a southwest flavored pasta salad and it’s full of seasonal produce. The honey lime vinaigrette and crumbled queso fresco give it the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and salty flavors. It’s easy to make and will definitely be a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients For Tomato Corn Pasta Salad
Pasta – Cavatappi pasta is great for pasta salads because the vinaigrette or dressing clings to the ridges. Fusilli would be a good substitution.
Vegetables – Seasonal summer produce is the star of this summer pasta salad. Cherry tomatoes, zucchini, corn, green onions, and jalapeño for a spicy kick give the salad plenty of texture and fresh flavor.
Cheese – I love to use queso fresco for Southwest salads. It’s a salty, crumbly cheese similar to feta, without the tangy flavor. You can substitute it with cotija cheese or cheddar cheese.
Lime – Fresh squeezed lime juice is best for the vinaigrette. It has a truer lime flavor.
Honey – Honey is used to balance the tart citrus flavor from the lime juice. I like to warm it for a few second in the microwave so it’s extra runny and mixes into the vinaigrette easily.
Spices – Chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder are a few of my favorite southwest seasonings. They have an earthy flavor that pairs well with the lime and honey.
How to Make Tomato Corn Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente or 1 minute past. Drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prep the vegetables for the salad while the pasta is cooking to save time.
- Make the vinaigrette. Combine the lime juice, spices, honey and olive oil in a jar with a lid or a glass measuring cup. Shake or whisk the vinaigrette until it’s well combined.
- Add the pasta, vegetables, cilantro and crumbled queso fresco to a large serving bowl.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta salad and toss together until everything is coated. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Make the Pasta Salad Vegan?
To make the tomato corn pasta salad vegan, omit the queso fresco and swap the honey for either maple syrup or agave.
What is Queso Fresco?
Queso Fresco is a mild, fresh, crumbly cheese that is most commonly used in Mexican cuisine. It’s similar to feta, but not quite as sharp or salty in flavor. It can be used in fillings or as a topping like I used it for with these Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Corn Salsa and Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Queso fresco is not a melting cheese. It gets soft, but don’t expect it to melt the way mozzarella does.
Can I Make the Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes. The pasta salad can be made a day ahead of time, but wait until the day you serving it to toss it in the vinaigrette. Pasta absorbs a lot of the dressing or sauce that it’s in so it’s best to do it the day you eat it or make extra vinaigrette.
How Long Will Tomato Corn Pasta Salad Keep?
The leftovers are good for up to three days. However, the pasta will absorb a lot of the vinaigrette so I suggest doubling it so you can add more to the leftovers.
Alternative Pasta Shapes to Use in Tomato Corn Pasta Salad?
Any short pasta will work. Try shells, elbows, rotini, or orecchiette.
Tomato Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta or similar shape
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 3/4 cup fresh or defrosted frozen corn
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 seeded and deveined jalapeño, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.
- In a large serving bowl add the tomatoes, corn, zucchini, green onions, jalapeño, cilantro and queso fresco. Add the cooled pasta in with the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a jar with a lid or a measuring cup, shake or whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Pour over the pasta salad and toss everything together until coated. Taste for seasoning and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
