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Pesto Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon is a departure from your typical pasta salad and we love it! It’s perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, or as a satisfying side dish for any meal. The combination of creamy pesto, smoky bacon, and tender pasta creates a flavorful and satisfying dish that’s sure to become a favorite.
It’s a deliciously balanced blend of fresh and savory flavors. Its vibrant colors and rich flavors make it a crowd-pleaser that can be enjoyed warm or cold, making it an excellent option for meal prep or last-minute gatherings.
Serve this flavorful salad with grilled cilantro lime chicken for a vibrant and easy dinner!
Helpful Tips
- Use quality bacon: Opt for thick-cut bacon to ensure it stays crispy and provides a hearty bite. Cook the bacon until it’s nice and crisp, then crumble it into the salad for the best texture and flavor.
- Use orecchiette pasta: You might not have used this shape of pasta before, but it’s perfect for this salad so definitely try it! Its shape holds the sauce and it has a very nice chewy texture.
- Make fresh pesto: While store-bought pesto can be convenient, making your own fresh pesto will elevate the dish. Use fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and good-quality olive oil for a vibrant and aromatic pesto that ties the salad together beautifully.
- Grill the corn: For an extra layer of flavor, you can grill the corn before adding it to the salad. The smoky, charred kernels will enhance the overall taste and add a satisfying texture.
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Pesto Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170 g) orecchiette pasta or other short pasta
- 2 cobs of corn or 1 cup canned corn
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning the corn
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 3 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 lime juiced and zested
- Ground black pepper for garnish
For the pesto:
- 1 ounce (28 g) fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
- 1 ounce (28 g) Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese crumbled or shredded
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) pine nuts toasted
- 4-5 tablespoons (59 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- If using corn on the cob, heat a grill to 400° F. Brush the corn with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place the corn on the grill and cook with the lid down for 10-15 minutes, turning the corn regularly. Once tender, remove from grill. Let cool, then cut kernels from the cobs. Try to keep some corn bunches together.
- For the pesto, combine basil leaves, parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and add salt, as necessary.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, corn kernels, bell pepper, and chopped bacon. Stir carefully so as not to break up the corn too much.
- Add about half of the pesto to the salad and stir again to incorporate.
- Spritz on the lime juice.
- Garnish with lime zest, extra pesto, freshly cracked black pepper, and chopped basil.
Video
Notes
- Use thick-cut bacon to ensure it stays crispy and provides a hearty bite. Cook the bacon until it’s nice and crisp, then crumble it into the salad for the best texture and flavor.
- You might not have used this shape of pasta before, but it’s perfect for this salad so definitely try it! Its shape holds the sauce and it has a very nice chewy texture.
- While store-bought pesto can be convenient, making your own fresh pesto will elevate the dish. Use fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and good-quality olive oil for a vibrant and aromatic pesto that ties the salad together beautifully.
- For an extra layer of flavor, you can grill the corn before adding it to the salad. The smoky, charred kernels will enhance the overall taste and add a satisfying texture.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
