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Easy salad recipes are the best in summer and this Corn Pasta Salad is one of my favorites. Made with tortellini, corn and lots of grilled veggies, this simple pasta salad has a homemade Italian vinaigrette.

corn and zucchini and peppers and pasta and tomatoes all mixed together in a clear bowl

Similar to my Pesto Pasta Salad and my Pizza Pasta Salad, I used cheese tortellini in this recipe – I love tortellini in pasta salads! I find that tortellini are perfect for pasta salad recipes because they’re a little heartier than regular pasta. If my pasta salad doesn’t have protein in it, then adding some tortellini adds a little more heft to the salad.

There are so many ways to make this recipe and you can definitely change it up to suit what you like. A pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and corn and lots of roasted vegetables is the perfect recipe for summer: they feed a crowd so they’re perfect for a potluck, you can make them ahead of time so you’re not slaving over the stove, and you can use lots of fresh produce that’s in season.

corn and zucchini and peppers and pasta and tomatoes all separated in a clear bowl

How to make Corn Pasta Salad

  1. Cheese Tortellini (or any flavor) – make sure to cook it a little al dente so it doesn’t get soggy.
  2. I used frozen corn in this corn pasta salad but you can use fresh corn if you want. You’ll need about 4 ears of corn, hulled and cooked then removed from the cob.
  3. Lightly grilled zucchini and yellow squash, diced: Grilled zucchini and yellow squash give this salad a great crunch and flavor. I love grilled vegetables!
  4. Red bell pepper: Whenever I think about corn I also think about bell peppers and squash, so that’s what I included in this salad.
  5. Cherry tomatoes are great for color, but you can omit them.
  6. I make a homemade mustard dressing, but you can use any bottled dressing you enjoy.
corn and zucchini and peppers and pasta and tomatoes all mixed together in a clear bowl

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Easy dressing for Corn Pasta Salad

Making your own homemade salad dressing is super easy and I love making my own for pasta salads. If you want to make this a semi-homemade salad, feel free to pick up any of your favorite dressings at the store. I think a pasta salad with corn and mayo dressing would be popular but I decided to use an Italian dressing with mustard.

Be sure to dice your shallot small and press or mince your garlic for the dressing. Add all the ingredients to a jar and shake to emulsify. I love using white balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard, but you can use white wine vinegar, regular balsamic, and any kind of mustard you enjoy.

corn and zucchini and peppers and pasta and tomatoes all separated in a clear bowl with dressing being poured in

Storing Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is great for making ahead of time – it needs to sit and have all the flavors marry, plus it needs to chill so it’s cold when you serve it. Store in an airtight container in the fridge – it’ll stay good for 3-4 days as long as the tortellini is cooked al dente.

corn and zucchini and peppers and pasta and tomatoes all separated in a clear bowl with dressing being poured in

Corn Pasta Salad

5 from 10 votes
This Corn Pasta Salad is an easy tortellini salad with corn and roasted vegetables tossed with a simple vinaigrette with mustard.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 10 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 package (about 19 ounces) cheese tortellini see note
  • 1 medium zucchini sliced
  • 1 medium yellow squash sliced
  • 2 cups frozen corn thawed
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes diced
  • 1 red pepper diced

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon diced shallot
  • 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Cook tortelllini according to pacakge directions. Drain and cool.
  • While you're cooking the tortellini, heat a griddle to medium high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Grill the zucchini and squash about 3-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Cool then dice.
  • Mix together tortelllini, diced squash and zucchini, diced bell pepper, tomatoes and corn.
  • Place all dressing ingredinets in a mason jar. Cover and shake until emulsified. Pour over salad. Toss to coat.
  • Chill and serve within 2 days.
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Recipe Notes

Use any flavor tortellini, fresh or frozen.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 26.6mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. I made this as written and loved it, especially the dressing. Used sweet bicolor corn cut from the cob and Rana refrigerated 5-cheese tortellini. Love incorporating all the veggies, never used grilled zucchini and squash like this before. Perfect!

    Reply

  3. On every Sunday I make Pasta but never tried like this before. I love this combination of corn, tomatoes etc.

    I am sure my family will love this recipe. thanks

    Reply

  4. This one is one of my favorite recipes! My family loves pastas so I’m pretty excited to try making this at home. I know they’re going to love it!! 

    Reply