Name: Tomato and Corn Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 h
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped; 1 small shallot, finely diced (about 1 tbsp); 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup white wine vinegar; salt and pepper; 1 1/2 cups of sweet corn; 1 avocado, diced; 12 oz dried fusilli; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 4oz crumbled feta cheese; 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

This fresh tomato and corn pasta salad is the perfect summer dish. I love to make it for lunch, as a side dish, or to bring to a summer barbecue.

This pasta salad recipe makes enough for 6 people as the main dish and 10-12 as a side dish.

Best Pasta For Pasta Salad

Any short pasta shape does great in a pasta salad. For this tomato and corn pasta salad, I love to use fusilli. You can also use penne, farfalle, cavatappi, or orecchiette.

I have made this recipe with regular pasta and brown rice pasta. I think the regular pasta works best. If you are gluten-free and want to use brown rice pasta, it still tastes great. If you are in between the two, I would go with your classic traditional pasta.

Tomato and corn pasta salad ingredients in a bowl.

Can I make this pasta salad ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I suggest keeping the dressing and the avocado separate. Keep the dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge until ready to use. Also, once you cut up an avocado, it can turn brown quickly, so I wouldn’t add the avocado until it is ready to eat.

What type of corn should I use?

If you have the chance to use fresh corn you can cut off the corn kernels right from the cob. If you don’t have fresh corn, feel free to use a can of corn. Just make sure to drain the can before using it.