Pasta Salad with fresh basil, grilled corn, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese with a lemony vinaigrette.
It’s 4th of July weekend and I am so excited for the fireworks! Oh wait, I have an 8 month old baby and due to COVID, fireworks are a thing of the past. My 4th of July this year is going to look more like a social distancing BBQ with some pre-recorded fireworks in the background. Let’s hope they don’t air the fireworks from the 2012 big bay boom bust! If you are from San Diego, how can you forget the 12 second firework show that exploded all at once. That will surely go down in history.
I love pasta salad, but I am not a huge mayo person in my pasta salad. Pasta salad is typically served with other heavy BBQ food and the last thing my hips need is another spoonful of mayo. I like it fresh, lemony and herbaceous! Love grilled corn, but hate wearing them in the teeth? The added grilled corn in this pasta salad is so good and takes the hassle out of trying to eat off the cob. This recipe is a great BBQ addition and an easy way to add color and veggies to your plate.
How to grill corn
Remove the husk from the corn on the cob. Using metal tongs hold the corn over your gas flame on your stove top until lightly charred, turning occasionally. You can also put the husked corn on your BBQ for 5-8 minutes per side.
How to make pasta salad
Although the recipe calls for fusilli pasta, any small pasta shape will work great. The secret to good pasta salad is to let it sit and marinade in all the flavors for at least 2 hours. I prefer my pasta salad to be at room temperature, so remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to eating.
Start by cooking the pasta according to the directions. Drain and rinse in cold water and add back to the pot. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and honey and add to the pasta. Add the grilled corn, fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes, fire roasted corn and feta cheese. Stir to combine. It’s really that easy!
Grilled Corn and Basil Pasta Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fusilli pasta
- 4 corn on the cob (about 2 cups)
- 2 tsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1.5 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 8 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
- 2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise (about 1 pint)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup feta cheese (5 oz.)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse with cold water and add the pasta back to the pot.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and honey. Pour over the cooked pasta.
- Lightly fire roast the corn on the cob over a gas stove or an outdoor grill. You can also purchase frozen fire roasted corn. Cut the kernals off the cob and add to the pasta.
- Add the fresh chives, basil, tomato halves, and feta cheese to the pasta. Stir everything until combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Chill for at least 2 hours for the flavors to combine. Serve at room temerature or chilled.
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