Fresh Corn and Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad
This fresh corn, tomato, pesto and mozzarella salad is perfect for summer!
Pasta salads are one of my favorite summertime make-ahead meals and I tend to make them all season long. We have them at least once a week! I can prep the ingredients— like boiling the pasta and cooking any mix-ins— in the morning before the day heats up, and then it chills in the fridge until dinner.
This corn caprese pasta salad is one of my new favorites, made with lots of fresh corn straight off the cob, cherry tomatoes, pesto, fresh basil, mini mozzarella balls, and pasta shells.
I love caprese salads— you just can’t beat tomato + mozzarella + basil in the summer time! And I love fresh seasonal corn too and I thought, why not combine the two? There’s so much good stuff going on in the salad, it’s got great crunch from the veggies, creaminess from the cheese, and bright flavor from the combination of both pesto and fresh basil.
It makes a great light summer meal as is, but you could also bulk it up with cooked chicken or bacon if you’d like. And it’s also a perfect side dish for summer potlucks and barbecues!
How to remove kernels from corn on the cob
Stand an ear of corn fat side-down in a wide shallow bowl and use a sharp knife to cut down along the ear, removing the kernels. The kernels will collect in the bowl instead of bouncing all over a cutting board or counter.
Why you shouldn’t rinse cooked pasta
Many recipes ask you to rinse cooked pasta in cold water before making pasta salad, but I think that’s a mistake! Rinsing the pasta washes away flavor and the starches that help the sauce or dressing cling to the pasta.
Instead of rinsing, drain pasta in a colander and then toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other and let cool in a single layer on a sheet pan, or in a wide bowl, tossing it every so often until cool.
Fresh Corn and Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 ears fresh corn on the cob
- 8 oz dried short pasta , such as shells, penne or macaroni
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls , halved
- 10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes , halved
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- About 1-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Cook the corn: in boiling water for 5 minutes, or on the grill for 10 minutes. Let cool then remove kernels from the cob.
- Add pasta to a pot of boiling salted water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.
- Add corn kernels, mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto, and enough olive oil to make a loose dressing with the pesto. Toss until combined.
- Add salt and pepper as needed. Stir in basil.
- Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
8 Comments on “Fresh Corn and Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad”
This looks incredible! It’s been so hot in SLC lately that I haven’t wanted to turn my oven on for anything. This is the perfect solution! 🙂
Right?!!
I made this to go with stuffed chicken breasts, and it was lovely. It was really nice to be able to make it ahead of time and set it aside. It’s not very Italian, but I think I’ll try it with Feta cheese next time.
Sure, feta cheese would be great too!
Looks great! Could I use frozen corn instead of corn on the cob? If so, how much should I use?
Sure frozen will work too, probably about 2 cups. I like lots of corn!
This was so good. I made it tonight for my family with grilled shrimp. I cook a whole pound of pasta, tossed all of the pasta with some olive oil and s&p to taste. I then pulled half of the pasta and put it in a container for another use. Only putting heat in the house once.
Thank you for this idea. Oh I found pearl mozzarella so I didn’t even have to cut them. They are about the size of a dime
The addition of shrimp sounds amazing! So happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for the feedback! 🙂