It’s a herb and spicy twist on an original classic pasta salad recipe that we all know and love. Best part is it’s all dairy free, egg free, and packed with protein and fiber.
First off, heat a large soup pot filled 3/4 full with water on medium high to get the water boiling for the pasta. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
When it starts to boil, cook elbow pasta noodles to cooking instructions. If you are oil free, remove 1/4 cup of the salted water before draining the pasta, and use this as “oil” for the cooked pasta, otherwise add a dash of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other. Stir it up, then set aside for 10-15 minutes to cool.
As the water is boiling for the pasta, heat a large cast iron or stainless skillet, (or grill) on medium high to begin cooking the corn on the cob. Once hot, add your corn and olive oil, and cook for 7-12 minutes while rotating them on all sides to get some nice charred marks. When the kernels have softened to the touch, remove from heat and let it cool completely before slicing off the kernels with a chefs knife. Add kernels to a bowl, and set aside.
I like to include some multitasking here, so remember timers are your friend and be sure to have your colander ready for your noodles, (IYKYK). As you are handling the pasta and the searing the corn, you can quickly throw your sauce together. Add all the sauce ingredients into a high powered blender, and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until fully smooth. Taste for salt or extra heat.
When your pasta is cooked and cooled, your kernels are in a bowl, and your sauce is made, then it’s time for the best part. Add your pasta, corn kernels, sauce, diced red onions, roasted bell pepper slices, feta crumbles, black beans into a large mixing bowl, and mix until everything is fully mixed. Taste for salt.
You can serve immediately, or store in air tight containers or 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Serve cold.
