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Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon & Creamy Pesto Dressing

Source: The Olive Cellar, Northland Ave., Appleton

This can be served as individual salads or use as a side dish.
The perfect summer salad and only takes 30 minutes to make.
I prefer to use grilled corn off the cob for the corn

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

  • 8 oz. orecchiette pasta or other short pasta
  • 1 c. corn kernels, cooked or use corn on the cob (see Notes)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • fresh cilantro, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Pesto Salad Dressing

  • ⅓ c. basil pesto store-bought or homemade
  • 3 Tbls. low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbls. Mayonnaise (Hellman’s with olive oil)
  • 2 Tbls. fresh lime juice

Instructions

Precook corn. You can use cooked frozen corn cooked according to package directions, or 1 large ear (or 2 small ears) of corn on the cob, grilled or cooked on stove top. Then cut corn kernals off cob(s). See Notes.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing.

Pesto Dressing: In a mason jar or medium bowl, whisk together basil pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and freshly squeezed lime juice. If dressing is too thick, you can thin it out by adding more Greek yogurt, small amounts of water, or extra lime juice.

Assemble: In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper and cooked bacon. Mix to combine. Distribute into individual salad bowls. Top with the salad dressing and sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro on top.

You can also transfer all the salad to a serving bowl, top with cilantro and use as a side dish.

Serves 6

NOTE: To cook corn cob on stove top, peel husk. Place cob in a pot of water; add a little milk and bring to a full boil. Put corn in pot, cover pot and remove from burner. Let stand for 25-30 minutes. Drain water and cut corn off the cob.

To cook corn cob(s) on grill, use my easy method for Corn on the Cob Grilled in foil, but only use a little melted butter to coat the cob before sealing the foil.