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corn and bacon pasta salad with tomatoes

Summer Pasta Salad

Krista Stechman
Pasta salad with fresh sweet corn, bacon, tomatoes, basil and a homemade sweet Romano vinaigrette
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course dinner, lunch, snack
Cuisine american
Servings 10 people
Calories 683 kcal

Equipment

  • food processor

Ingredients
  

Vinaigrette

  • cup white wine vinegar
  • 2.5 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Romano cheese grated
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 1 cup olive oil

Pasta Salad

  • 12 oz dried pasta I used orecchiette
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for the pasta water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the pasta water
  • 12 oz bacon thick cut
  • 1 medium onion fine dice
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 ears sweet corn
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¾ cup fresh basil torn
  • ½ cup feta crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup fresh chives

Instructions
 

Making the Vinaigrette

  • Add all vinaigrette ingredients to the food processor and turn on low until blended
  • With the food processor still on low, slowly drizzle the olive oil in through the top opening of the food processor until fully incorporated. Let the food processor run another 5 seconds after all the oil is added
  • Pour dressing into a container and save for later

For the Pasta Salad

  • Boil a pot of water in a medium sauce pan. Add the salt and olive oil to the water
  • Once the water boils add the pasta and cook until al dente
  • Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and pour into a bowl
  • Meanwhile while the pasta is cooking, chop the bacon into ½ inch pieces and sauté to your desired doneness
  • While the bacon is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic
  • Once the bacon is finished cooking, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and let it drain on a plate lined with several paper towels
  • Begin to sauté the onion in the bacon grease over medium heat and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt
  • After 1 minute of sautéing the onion, add in the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes over medium heat
  • Scoop the onion and garlic mixture out and add it to the pasta along with the cooked bacon
  • Cut the sweet corn off the cob and add it to the pasta. (if you prefer to cook the sweet corn first then boil it for 5 minutes, let it cool then cut it off the cob and add it to the pasta)
  • Add the halved cherry tomatoes, torn basil, feta, salt, pepper, sliced chives and vinaigrette to the pasta and toss well
  • Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until the next day to let the flavors meld. Reserve a bit of the vinaigrette to toss the salad with the next day if you're keeping it overnight

Nutrition

Calories: 683kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 59gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1202mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 253IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
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