Crispy Bacon and Grilled Corn Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
Crispy Bacon and Grilled Corn Pasta Salad
Description
The Crispy Bacon and Grilled Corn Pasta Salad starts with chopped bacon cooked until crispy, which creates a flavorful base with rendered bacon fat. Sweet corn and zucchini are sautéed in the bacon grease until the corn develops a slight golden color and the zucchini softens, then garlic is added briefly to infuse aroma. Cooling the vegetables, the salad is built by adding halved grape tomatoes and cooked mini shell pasta, seasoned with salt and pepper, and dressed generously with a mixture of olive oil and fresh chopped herbs including basil, oregano, and rosemary. Crumbled feta cheese finishes the dish, adding a creamy and tangy contrast.
The textures vary from the crunch of crispy bacon and the tender pasta to the fresh burst of tomatoes and the slight bite of zucchini. This salad would pair well with grilled meats or serve as a satisfying vegetarian option by omitting the bacon. Fresh herbs and feta make it vibrant and substantial enough for gatherings without excess heaviness.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Bacon chopped
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 cup zucchini squash chopped
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 pint grape tomato halved
- 4 cups pasta I used mini shells, cooked
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons basil fresh, chopped
- 2 tablespoons oregano fresh chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh, chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until crispy and all the fat is rendered, then remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease.
- Add the corn and zucchini to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium. Stir to coat in the bacon grease, then cook until the corn is slightly golden and the zucchini just starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the corn and zucchini to a large bowl. Keep the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Add the tomatoes and cooked pasta into the bowl with the zucchini and corn. Season the mixture with the salt and pepper, tossing well. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease, tossing the pasta well to coat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil with 1 tablespoon each of the basil and oregano and all of the rosemary. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss, toss, toss! Stir in the feta and toss well again. Top with the crispy bacon and toss.
- You can serve this hot or cold! Add anything else you’d like. I added a bit of sliced grilled corn from the cob on top of mine – had it left in the fridge.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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