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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.

An easy Corn Pasta Salad recipe is perfect for summer with grilled vegetables, corn and tomatoes all with a homemade Italian dressing!

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


Why You’ll Love Corn Pasta Salad

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

What goes into a Corn Pasta Salad?

Here’s what I put into my pasta salad:

  • Lightly grilled zucchini and yellow squash, diced: Grilled zucchini and yellow squash give this salad a great crunch and flavor. I used grilled vegetables!
  • 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.
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Corn: Use fresh cut off the cob or frozen thawed.
  • Cheese Tortellini: Or use any kind of regular pasta.

I love grilled vegetables; in fact I love them more than cooked or roasted ones. The grill, whether it’s inside or outside, adds so much delicious flavor to any vegetable. I used my indoor grill to lightly grill both sides of the squash. I then let them cool and diced them.

You can use any pasta or tortellini in a corn pasta salad.

Fresh corn vs frozen corn in pasta salad?

I used frozen corn in this corn pasta salad but you can use either. I didn’t want to have to take the time to cook corn and then cut it off the cob but if you have fresh corn, feel free to use it!

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

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.

My husband loves mustard and I so rarely use it in recipes because I’m not a fan, but in dressing it’s totally okay.

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

Homemade Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette is great for any salad!

Really you can use this dressing for any salad or even as a marinade but it’s perfect with these grilled vegetables and corn.

Here’s what I put in my dijon mustard dressing:

  • Dijon mustard
  • Shallot
  • Garlic
  • White Balsamic Vinegar
  • Oil
  • Seasonings

Making homemade dressings is so easy – just mix all the ingredients in a jar, cover and shake and you have a perfect vinaigrette for any salad!

A simple Corn Pasta Salad with homemade dressing will be the hit of your summer dinners!

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overhead shot of corn pasta salad

Corn Pasta Salad

5 from 9 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
Rate RecipePrint Recipe

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
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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.

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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Corn Pasta Salad has tortellini and corn and roasted vegetables with a homemade mustard dressing. This simple tortellini salad recipe is perfect for summer.

Last Updated on January 17, 2023



Dorothy Kern

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3 Comments

  2. 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

  3. 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