This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing takes only 30 minutes and makes a beautiful appetizer, light meal, or even dinner! This crowd-pleasing side dish is perfect for sharing and bringing to picnics, potlucks, BBQs, or parties. Your family and friends with love the fresh, savory, and sweet combination of flavors! Make it in the Summer and year-round.
Corn pasta salad
This tasty pasta salad features fresh produce (corn and bell peppers), fresh cilantro, and basil pasta! It's a flexible and easily adjustable recipe that can be changed to whatever you have on hand.
- Use fresh corn, leftover corn on the cob, canned corned, or even frozen kind (defrosted).
- The recipe uses basic ingredients found in most pantries - what a perfect everyday salad to serve with your weeknight dinner for your family and friends. It also makes a beautiful presentation when prepared for a special occasion or holiday.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated, so it's a perfect recipe for meal prep, or to make ahead for lunch and snacks.
- Other pasta salads I recommend are peach pasta salad with arugula and tomatoes or this tasty Greek pasta salad with spinach and cherry tomatoes.
Easy 30-minute pasta salad
- Sweet corn is combined with pasta shells (I used orecchiette pasta), bell peppers, and chopped cooked bacon to create a wonderful sweet and savory flavor pairing. The salad can be easily made ahead by precooking the pasta, bacon, and corn (if using fresh corn on the cob). And, the recipe will take only 30 minutes of your time!
- The delicious salad dressing combines store-bought or homemade basil pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and lime juice. You'll be in love with this summer salad that you can make year-round!
Why make it
- Looking for new ways to use corn in the recipes? This pasta salad combines the sweetness of the corn with savory ingredients to produce a very flavorful salad.
- This salad will pair beautifully with any summer dinner. You can also serve it as a light snack, lunch, or even dinner!
- It's a great appetizer to bring to parties, BBQs, cookouts, and other festivities!
How to make creamy pesto salad dressing
- In a mason jar, whisk together basil pesto with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and freshly squeezed lime juice until well combined.
- Tip: If your dressing is too thick, you can thin it out by adding more Greek yogurt, small amounts of water, or extra lime juice (or lemon juice). Or, the combination of what I just listed.
How to make corn pasta salad
- First, you will cook the pasta in boiling water according to the package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, proceed with preparing the rest of the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper, and chopped cooked bacon.
- Then, add cooked and drained pasta. Mix to combine.
- Next, you will distribute the salad into individual salad bowls.
- Finally, top individual servings with the creamy pesto dressing and sprinkle the chopped fresh cilantro on top.
Variations
- Pasta. I used orecchiette pasta but you can use any kind of short pasta. This includes small pasta shells, and fusilli (spiral pasta). Bow-tie pasta (farfalle) will be your next best choice. Or, you can use penne, rigatoni, or rotini.
- Use prosciutto instead of bacon. You can briefly crispy up the prosciutto in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes.
- Fresh herbs. I use fresh cilantro here, you can also use fresh basil leaves or fresh thyme.
- Add cheese if you like. Feta cheese, goat cheese, or small Mozzarella balls (pearls) are all great choices! You can also sprinkle the corn pasta salad with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Add a protein, such as grilled chicken, sauteed or grilled shrimp, or salmon to make it a perfect and easy weeknight dinner!
Cooking tips
- Cook pasta al dente for best texture. This kind of texture works the best with the pasta salad especially if you want to make it ahead. To cook pasta al dente, you normally have to boil pasta 2 minutes shorter than normal. For example, if the package instructions tell you to boil pasta for 10 minutes - cook the pasta in boiling water for 8 minutes instead.
- Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free pasta of your choice. Lentil or chickpea gluten-free pasta will taste great here.
Storage tips
- Store leftover corn pasta salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- If you plan on refrigerating the salad, you can combine all the salad ingredients, except the salad dressing and fresh cilantro. Add creamy pesto salad dressing and cilantro last minute before serving.
- You can easily make this salad ahead by combining all salad ingredients together except the salad dressing and fresh cilantro. Add those two immediately before serving.
Other pasta salads you might like
- Summer Pasta Salad with Peaches, Spinach, Tomatoes, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella Cheese
- Broccoli Ranch Pasta Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes, Sweet Peas, and Cheddar Cheese
- Greek Tortellini Salad with Tomatoes, Avocados, Cucumbers, and Feta Cheese
Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing
Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing takes only 30 minutes and makes a beautiful appetizer, light meal, or even dinner! This crowd-pleasing side dish is perfect for sharing and bringing to picnics, potlucks, BBQs, or parties. Your family and friends with love the fresh, savory, and sweet combination of flavors! Make it in the Summer and year-round.
Ingredients
Corn pasta salad
- 8 oz orecchiette pasta or other short pasta
- 1 cup corn kernels cooked
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 slices bacon cooked and sliced
- fresh cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad dressing
- ⅓ cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
Cook pasta
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Make salad dressing
- In a mason jar, whisk together basil pesto with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
- If your dressing is too thick, you can thin it out by adding more Greek yogurt, small amounts of water, or extra lime juice (or lemon juice). Or, combination of what I just listed.
Assembly
- In a large bowl, combine cooked and drained pasta, cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper, and chopped cooked bacon. Mix to combine.
- Distribute into individual salad bowls. Top with the salad dressing. Sprinkle the chopped fresh cilantro on top.
Notes
- Corn. I used 1 cup of cooked corn kernels. That equals to 2 ears of corn (corn on the cob).
- Basil pesto. Use store-bought or homemade basil pesto.
- Pasta. I used orecchiette pasta in this recipe. The next best choice would be fusilli (spiral pasta) or farfalle (bow-tie pasta).
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing
Amount per Serving
Calories
316
% Daily Value*
Fat
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
0.03
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
13
mg
4
%
Sodium
317
mg
14
%
Potassium
209
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
35
g
12
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
922
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
27
mg
33
%
Calcium
42
mg
4
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Saw the recipe this summer and knew I had to make for dinner! I made a few minor modifications mostly based on preference. Because I had the time, I "roasted" my corn (used can corn) in a pan on the stove for a little to bring out the flavors a bit. I detest yogurt, so I used sour cream instead and then I added some finally diced red onion. I did end up putting my portion and dressing in a bowl and tossing it all around to ensure the dressing was as evenly distributed as possible. It was very delicious and so flavorful, although nowhere as pretty as your picture:) (I served with grilled chicken [from the grill] that had a lemon-herb marinade. A perfect pairing!]
Hi Andrea, thank you for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review! 🙂 This is so good with grilled chicken - a perfect pairing!
I’m thinking of making this for a picnic but mayo outside all day isn’t a great idea. Can I sub sour cream? To be honest I haven’t made it yet but sounds perfect for the event.
Hi Ronda! Sour cream would work great instead of mayo (flavor-wise), not sure about keeping the salad outside all day. 🙂 Maybe, keep the salad dressing on the side, covered with foil?
Loved this recipe! My daughter had 3 helpings and my husband said this one is a keeper for sure. Will make again! Thank you!
Colleen, I am so glad your whole family enjoyed this salad! ❤️ Thank you for your review!
This salad was soooooooo good. I used beef bacon and added thinly sliced green onion. Hubby and I both loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe! I make a few modifications and bring it for lunch throughout the week to work. I added spinach, 3 bell peppers instead of one and do a whole package of bacon bc I love bacon hahaha. I was skeptical at first about combining cilantro and pesto + I have a weird aversion to mayo, but this is delicious!
Loved this salad…so easy to make and tastes great!
I replaced the pasta with a higher fibre Penne (Fiber Gourmet) which has 17 net carbs for 1/2 cup pasta) and 7 grams of protein. I also added extra fresh herbs, which always adds great flavour.
I would have this salad hot or cold, and will definitely make this again!
This is my second time making this pasta salad! It’s absolutely delicious. It doesn’t mention in the recipe if it’s supposed to be served warm or cold? What is the best?
This salad looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it this weekend. I see that you drizzle the pesto on top, I was wondering what your thoughts were on mixing it up into the salad, I do not want to mess up the salad, is it because it would be to strong of a flavor?? Thanks and I look forward to trying out many of your recipes.
Absolutely delicious! I added some grilled chicken to give it a little more protein and just use it as an entree. I'm curious how much a serving size is for the caloric count given? I believe it's around 330 calories per serving, but it doesn't list what a serving size is.
This was delicious! I subbed turkey bacon and added fresh chopped spinach and tomatoes. My whole family loved it! Thanks!
Delicious! We substituted chicken for the bacon but kept everything else the same. I'm not usually a fan of pesto or mayo but neither of these were overpowering.
Thanks for the recipe.
You are very welcome! Love that you used chicken here - turns this into a dinner!
Love your salad recipe!! I made this salad for a Kentucky Derby party and there was nothing left. Now, I’ve been asked to bring it to an important birthday celebration, but it’s the same day as a graduation. How far in advance can I make this salad??
Katie, I know this is a late response but can be helpful to others. You can make this up to 1 day in advance. Just keep the dressing separate from the salad. Add the dressing only when serving.
How did you handle the dressing when serving to a crowd? Did you mix it all together?
Kara, I would assemble the salad but keep the salad dressing separate. Add the salad dressing on top when serving.
You can see on my photos - one photo has the salad without the dressing. And the other photo shows dressing in thin strips over the top.
I know it's healthier, but I don't like yogurt in any kind of salad dressings, so do I sub sour cream for that? Or use all mayo? Thanks
Karen, yes, just use sour cream instead. Using just mayo could be too rich.
Thanks for trying this salad! 🙂 I am glad you liked it!
Is this meant to be served hot, cold, room temperature?
LOVE LOVE this salad! Looking forward to your other salad recipes in the Fall.
Thanks for trying this salad! 🙂 I am glad you liked it!