Description
This summer pasta salad is your answer to “what’s for dinner” on hot days when cooking feels impossible. Loaded with fresh veggies and zesty pesto, it’s a crowd-pleaser that tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) short pasta (rotini, farfalle, or penne)
- 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef or thinly sliced steak
- 2 cups (300g) fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 2 medium bell peppers (preferably red and yellow), diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pint (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup (10g) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) high-quality prepared pesto
- 1/3 cup (80ml) mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (60ml) Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until well-browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess fat.
- If using fresh corn, boil for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp, then drain and cool. For frozen corn, thaw completely and pat dry.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together pesto, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil until creamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, beef, corn, bell peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Add three-quarters of the dressing and toss gently until well-coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, add fresh basil, toss with remaining dressing if needed, and adjust seasonings.