Ingredients
Pasta & Veggies
- 8 oz Chickpea cavatappi pasta
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ¼ –⅓ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 slices bacon cooked crisp + chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan shaved or grated
- Salt + pepper
Bright Green Pesto Dressing
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Boil pasta until just al dente.
- Rinse briefly under cool water.
- Toss with a tiny drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Make the bright green pesto dressing
- Blend together:
- Pesto
- Spinach
- Lime juice
- Greek yogurt
- Blend until smooth and vibrant green.
Char the corn
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium‑high.
- Add frozen corn dry and let moisture evaporate.
- Once browning, add 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt.
- Cook until deeply charred.
Add the red onion + bell pepper
- Add sliced red onion and diced bell pepper to the skillet.
- Cook 2–3 minutes until lightly charred but still colorful.
Blister the cherry tomatoes
- Push veggies to the edges of the skillet.
- Add tomatoes to the center with a drizzle of oil.
- Cook 3–4 minutes until skins blister but tomatoes stay whole.
Assemble the pasta salad
- In a large bowl, combine:
- Cooked pasta
- Pesto dressing
- Charred corn
- Charred onion + bell pepper
- Blistered tomatoes
- Bacon
- Parmesan
- Toss gently so tomatoes stay intact.
- Taste + adjust
- Add salt, pepper, or extra lime juice as needed.
- Add a splash of olive oil for a glossy finish.