Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, & Fresh Corn
This delicious Tortellini Pasta Salad -- studded with bright, juicy tomatoes, fresh sweet corn, and ribbons of basil -- is sure to become your favorite summer side dish or light supper!
Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone! I'm popping in on Saturday with a quick post because, in case you're still looking for a summer side dish to enjoy this weekend, I didn't want you to miss the best tortellini salad EVER!
This fresh, delectable pasta salad starts with frozen (or fresh, if you prefer) tortellini, boiled and cooled. Then you simply toss in some of the flavors of summer: plump, juicy tomatoes (I used red and yellow), fresh, sweet corn sliced right off the cob, ribbons of bright green basil, a quick, homemade vinaigrette, and plenty of salty Parmesan cheese.
You won't believe that such delicious results can be attained from such simple ingredients and such a forthright preparation. I'm telling you...the secret here is using fresh, seasonal ingredients.
The recipe below instructs you to chiffonade the basil. Would you think I'm weird if I told you I love chiffonading? I like to say it (chiffonade, chiffonade, CHIFFONADE!) and I like to do it. There's something just so satisfying about feeling that knife glide through the roll of basil to create all of those cute, tasty ribbons.
Okay...I am weird. I embrace it. But if you are new to chiffonading, here is a pathetic but hopefully passable photo tutorial.
How to Chiffonade Basil
Sorry...it's hard to take great pics of a method that involves two hands when you don't have time to mess with a tripod because there's a screaming toddler clinging to your leg.
Did that make sense? In case it didn't...
- Stack some basil leaves.
- Roll tightly like a cigar.
- Hold firmly while you slice thinly with a sharp knife...and be sure to keep your fingers out of the way!
See? Easy peasy.
And if you have access to fresh corn on the cob, please promise me that you'll use it in this recipe! In case you missed it, earlier this week I shared a secret for cooking fresh ears of corn that is the EASIEST method EVER! It can be a pain to cook fresh corn when you have to deal with peeling away all of the sticky, stringy silk. This method of cooking fresh corn eliminates the frustration and the mess! I don't think I'll ever cook corn another way again. And it's so easy, that I will no longer hesitate to use fresh corn in recipes like this one simply because I'm afraid of the extra hassle. There is no hassle in this method, and the corn is so perfectly tender, sweet, and freshly crispy that frozen corn just won't compare in a salad like this.
Okay, shameless plug over. 😉 Go check out the BEST way to cook fresh corn << HERE!
Seriously, y'all...how gorgeous is this salad?
Enjoy!!!
More Summer Salads
- Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad with Avocado
- German Potato Salad
- Corn, Tomato, & Avocado Salad
- Summer Couscous Salad
Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, and Fresh Corn
Ingredients
- 1 (22 to 24-ounce) package frozen OR fresh cheese tortellini
- 16 ounces (about 3 cups) sliced cherry OR grape tomatoes , halved or quartered, depending on size
- 2 ½ cups fresh corn kernels, cooked and sliced from the cob (approximately 14 ounces of corn, which comes from about 4 cobs)
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced in a chiffonade
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Boil tortellini in salted water according to package directions. Drain and cool. In a large salad bowl, combine tortellini, sliced tomatoes, fresh corn kernels, fresh chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.
- Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Pour over tortellini salad and gently mix all ingredients until well combined. Chill for several hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition