Summertime Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Corn and Jalapeรฑo Pesto

Healthy pasta salad featuring bold summer flavors, including tomatoes, corn and black beans tossed in fresh pesto! It's a great vegetarian side dish.

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Summertime Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Corn and Jalapeño Pesto

Here we are, smack dab in the middle of June, and I’m looking out at gray skies. Why?! I don’t know about you, but dreary weather slows me down and sunshine motivates me to skip right along. At least I have a bowl full of summertime goodness in the fridge to tide me over for a while.

pasta salad ingredients

This salad concept came to me when I found an ear of corn in my vegetable drawer, a remnant of my cowboy caviar recipe. I whipped up a bold pesto made with fresh cilantro and parsley, toasted pepitas and a jalapeño, which adds extra freshness and a bit of kick.

Then I tossed in some sliced tomatoes, raw corn and black beans. Pasta salad for days! You can easily change up the flavors, and I’ve typed up some suggestions below.

bow-tie pasta and pesto

If you’re sensitive to spice or find the idea of jalapeño in pesto to be downright strange (I think it’s lovely), you can skip it altogether. For less spice, be sure to remove all the membranes and seeds from the jalapeño. You might also taste the jalapeño beforehand to make sure you haven’t gotten an overpoweringly spicy pepper on your hands.

Feel free to change up the herbs in the pesto, too. I’m crazy for cilantro but basil would be great, too (or just double the parsley for parsley pesto). If you find the pesto to be too strongly flavored for you, try letting it rest for 30 minutes or mixing in some Parmesan to temper the flavor a notch.

I love the salty, creamy feta in this recipe, but for a dairy free/vegan version, replace it with avocado. You might need to add a bit more salt, to taste. Sun-dried tomatoes are a great add-in, if you have some. I like the dehydrated kind from Trader Joe’s, which are somehow still pliable enough to eat right out of the bag.

Super fresh jalapeño pesto pasta salad

How to make pasta salad with corn, tomatoes, black beans and feta!

Healthy summer pasta salad with tomatoes, corn, black beans and a bold herbed pesto

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Summertime Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Corn and Jalapeรฑo Pesto

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 48 reviews

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This healthy pasta salad features bold summer flavors, including tomatoes, corn and black beans tossed in spicy, fresh pesto! It’s a great vegetarian side dish for potlucks and barbecues. See paragraph above for variations and substitution suggestions! Recipe yields about 8 cups salad, which is enough for 4 main or 8 side servings.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta salad

  • ½ pound whole grain bow-tie pasta or rotini or penne
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (10 ounces), sliced into thin rounds
  • 1 ear fresh corn, shucked (about ½ cup fresh corn kernels)
  • ½ to ¾ cup crumbled feta or diced avocado

Jalapeรฑo herb pesto

  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro or basil
  • 1 to 2 medium jalapeรฑos, roughly chopped (remove seeds and membranes for less heat), optional
  • 1 medium lemon, juiced
  • 1 medium garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or slivered almonds
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about a cup of cooking water. Drain and return to pot. Set aside.
  2. Toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are making little popping noises and turning lightly golden on the edges. Set aside to cool a bit.
  3. To make the pesto, combine the herbs, jalapeรฑo, lemon, garlic and salt in a food processor. Pour in the pepitas. Pulse a few times and then run the machine while drizzling in the olive oil until the mixture is well blended, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  4. Pour enough pesto into the pasta to lightly coat it once tossed (you might not quite need all of it). Add a small splash of pasta cooking water and toss well. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and add the drained black beans, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh corn and feta or avocado. Stir until combined. This salad tastes best after it’s had a chance to marinate for about 30 minutes, but you can serve it right away if need be.

Notes

Make it vegan/dairy free: Omit the cheese and use diced avocado instead.
Make it gluten free: Use gluten-free pasta.
Make it nut free: Be sure to use pepitas, which are seeds, rather than almonds or another nut in the pesto.
Storage suggestions: This recipe keeps well for several days in the refrigerator, covered. Leftovers are great served warm or chilled. If you want to change it up/stretch it out, add some fresh, leafy greens and a drizzle of lemony dressing.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโ€™s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Linda

    Delicious! Made this last night, and it’s so, so good! Great for a lunch-to-go.

  2. Leanne

    I brought this to a work potluck and everyone loved it! Thank you for a great recipe!

    1. Kate

      What a great option for a potluck! Thank you for your review.

  3. Theresa Holloway

    This is the BEST! Made it for the whole family and we used the avocado version as I do not like feta cheese. Also, half of my family does not like Cilantro, so we used 2 cups of parsley. We had an all salad meal, with 3 bean salad and a butternut squash/zucchini salad. While they were all good, this one stole the show and was everyone’s favorite! Can’t wait to try it with Cilantro. This is definitely going to become a favorite. With the spice – I may even try it with mango to give it a sweet and spicy flavor.

    1. Kate

      Thanks for sharing your variation, Theresa! I appreciate the review.

  4. Robyn

    I made this last night, and it was a huge hit. My husband usually doesnโ€™t like pesto but he loved this one. I will definitely make this one again.

    1. Kate

      Great to hear, Robyn!

  5. Kayti

    Any idea if the pesto would freeze well? Iโ€™m thinking of making this on a camping trip but doing the pesto ahead of time and freezing it.

    1. Meg

      Hi Kayti! Did freezing the pesto separately work? I want to make it for a beach trip, but prep the pesto in advance for easy cooking on vaca!

  6. Mary

    Took this dish to a potluck picnic today. I needed something that I could make ahead and serve cold. I subbed walnuts for pepitas and lime for lemon. Got lots of Likes as usual when I make your recipes. Thanks!

    1. Kate

      That sounds like a delicious way to substitute! Thank you, Mary. I appreciate your review.

  7. JEN

    Do you recommend freezing the pesto? I made a batch to help my husband with dinner prep one evening and he missed it in the fridge and made a new batch. Also, the recipe is delicious!

    1. Kate

      You can freeze pesto! I recommend freezing in ice cube trays! Let me know how it works for you!

  8. Joe

    OMG this was sooo good! I found an almond/pepitas mix at the supermarket and that worked great. I liked the pasta dish so much I ate the whole batch in 12 hrs. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Joe! Thanks for your review.

  9. Molly

    What vegetarian parmesan is your favorite? Ever since i found out about rennet I’ve been struggling to find one…

    1. Kate

      Hi Molly! I usually have good luck with the 365 brand at Whole Foods.

  10. Mike

    “You might not quite need all of (the pesto)”??? Lordy, I was scraping the processor bowl like it was liquid gold! It’s sitting overnight to meld, but really looking forward to lunches this week. Thanks for another winner in this house.

    1. Kate

      Ha! I’m glad you loved it, Mike.

  11. Lea

    Yummy!!! I have never made pesto before, so this was a real treat! Will be eating this salad all week!

    1. Kate

      Thank you for sharing, Lea!

  12. Deanna

    This is one of our favorite C&K recipes! Easy to make and lasts forever. If you like it spicy, leave some of the jalapeno seeds in for the pesto. We would highly recommend this one!

    1. Kate

      I’m happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing, Deanna.

  13. Izabella

    This is SO good it has become my favorite summer pasta recipe. I like to add jalapeno pieces to the pasta itself too! Amazing, satisfying side or full meal.

  14. Hilary

    The best pasta salad I’ve ever had! Made without cheese or avocado and it tasted amazing.

  15. Kimberly

    Made this for my sisterโ€™s birthday on the 4th of July and it was a hit! The toasted pepitas add an earthiness to the dish and the spice of the jalapeรฑo is just right; I didnโ€™t deseed it either and the heat was not too much to handle. Will definitely be making again for future family functions :) Thank you cookie & Kate!

  16. Kris

    This recipe is great! It was such a hit with my family next to our fish tacos. I just made another batch with double the tomatoes/corn/beans and no pasta (for my carb conscious side) and it is so delicious this way too. Thank you!

  17. Sherri Reid

    This jalapeรฑo pesto is amazing!

  18. Fiona

    I have just made this for lunch. I couldnโ€™t decide between the avocado or feta so I used avocado then sprinkled some feta on top. Another delicious recipe

  19. Natalie

    Do leftovers freeze well?

    1. Kate

      Hi Natalie! I haven’t tried to freeze this one and not sure this would freeze the best with the pasta and ingredients combination.

  20. Melissa Landers

    This is soooo good! I didnโ€™t have a lemon so I used red wine vinegar. I didnโ€™t have parsley so I used extra cilantro. I didnโ€™t even have corn so I used a can of hominy. Thatโ€™s the great thing about pasta salad…use what you have! The best part is this pesto! Yummy yummy! Great recipe! Thank you!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Melissa! Thank you for your review.

  21. Naomi

    This is so yummy. I didn’t have corn, but it was still great! Even my toddlers loved it (super win!). I used avocado instead of cheese as well. Love it!

  22. Nathalie

    My whole family loved this salad. I put 2 (supposedly) hot peppers, but the salad did not taste hot at all. I live in France and usually there is no information on the variety of peppers on the package – they resemble jalapeรฑos but…??
    The salad does not look pretty, to my opinion, but I really donโ€™t mind since itโ€™s so good!

    1. Kate

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Nathalie!

  23. Krithika

    Would frozen corn work for this? Or suggestions for substitutes for the corn?

    1. Kate

      Hi, you could try thawing it first. Let me know what you think!

  24. judy

    Love this recipe and the twist on pesto! Made it with Banza pasta for a gluten free version and it’s delicious

    1. Kate

      That’s great, Judy! Thank you for your review.

  25. Marianne

    Do you cook the ear of corn first?

    1. Kate

      Hi, no need to cook! I hope you love it.

  26. Amy

    Made this tonight and it is delicious! I put one jalapeรฑo in the pesto and one jalapeรฑo chopped up in the salad. Iโ€™m also not a fan of tomatoes, so I did red bell pepper instead. Lovely!

    1. Kate

      I’m happy you enjoyed it, Amy! I appreciate your review.

  27. Kimmy

    I’ve made a lot of your recipes, but this is without a doubt my favorite thing I’ve ever made. It was so good!

    1. Kate

      Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Kimmy.

  28. Mia J.

    Can I use pine nuts instead of pepitas? I forgot to buy pepitas at the store

    1. Kate

      Hi, you can try it. Let me know how it turns out!

  29. Helen

    Amazing! I added to the base: Vidalia onion, olives, celery and used a salad bean mix rather than black beans. It’s July so basil, cilantro and parsley were in the garden. I liked the pepitas in the pesto very much; great texture. What a cool and tasty dish. Thanks.

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Helen! Thank you for your review.

  30. Nancy

    Love all of your recipes and this one was exceptional!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Nancy! I’m glad you loved it.

  31. Keely

    Made this tonight with fresh summer herbs, corn and tomatoes! Fantastic!!!
    Thanks for sharing!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Keely! I appreciate your review.

  32. Toni

    I have made this several times and it is delicious. Can I freeze the pesto?

    1. Kate

      Hi Toni! Sure, as other pesto tends to freeze well. Let me know what you think when you try it!

  33. Angela

    INCREDIBLE!!! I love all your recipes Kate!

    1. Kate

      Wonderful to hear, Angela! I appreciate your review.

  34. Kristy

    I know this is an older recipe, but this popped up when I was googling for some easy lunch ideas. SO fantastic. Used cilantro for the pesto, and protein pasta. Great flavor!

    1. Kate

      That’s great to hear, Kristy!

  35. Sadie

    This is a delicious change from a traditional pasta salad. The star is the jalapeno pesto. The salad itself is very adaptable. I added pickled red onions, zucchini, radish, green onions and capers. Since pesto typically has parmesan cheese in it, I added about 1/2 cup to the salad and used the crumbled feta as a garnish. I also cooked the corn first. The leftover pesto froze well.

  36. Lindsay

    We loved this! Very hearty but also healthy. We added some onions and peppers and we can’t wait to eat the leftovers.

  37. Kristin

    This was SO GOOD! I made it with basil and doubled the recipe so weโ€™d have plenty – YUM! My husband told me itโ€™s one of his favs now too. Perfect hot summertime dinner.

    1. Kate

      Great to hear, Kristin! I appreciate your review.

  38. Kristin

    This was SO GOOD! Great summer meal!

    1. Kate

      Great to hear, Kristin!

  39. Margaret

    Such a great salad and any leftovers are a bonus, which is great for a salad dish. I used almonds rather than pepitas and I know it would have been next level with the corn on the cob charred but I used canned sweet corn and it was still a big hit. Easy for lots with difficult diet issues too.