This creamy corn pasta salad is one of those simple recipes that both kids and adults love. It’s made with a light, tangy dressing using Greek yogurt and mayo, sweet corn, and a handful of pantry staples that come together in under 30 minutes. If you love light and creamy pasta salads, my creamy cucumber pasta salad is another one you’ll want to try.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Corn Pasta Salad
- Quick & Easy to Make: Made with minimal, easy-to-find ingredients that comes together super quick. Cook the pasta, mix the dressing, toss it all together and you’re done. It doesn’t get much easier than this.
- Perfect for meal prep – Make a big batch on Sunday and you’ve got an easy corn pasta salad ready to go all week for lunches or quick dinners.
- Great for BBQs and potlucks – This cold corn pasta salad travels well, holds up great in the fridge, and always disappears fast at gatherings.
- Kid-Approved: Created with kids in mind, this pasta salad has just the right amount of flavor. It’s the perfect pasta salad for picky palettes and for little lunch boxes.
- Light and creamy dressing – Made with Greek yogurt and mayo instead of heavy cream or sour cream, so it’s creamy and satisfying without feeling too heavy.
Key Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Main Ingredients
- Pasta: I typically make this with spiral or bow-tie noodles, but you could use whatever short noodle you prefer (penne, macaroni, etc.).
- Corn: This can be made with canned, frozen or fresh corn. Canned corn should be drained before adding it to the pasta. Frozen corn should be thawed. Fresh corn should be cooked. If I have the extra time, I will always choose cooking fresh corn. I just love the extra crispness that fresh cooked corn has. However, I’ve also made this plenty of times with canned corn and it’s just as delicious.
- Mild Cheese: Finely grated Parmesan adds a little pop of flavor, while not being too overwhelming. Mozzarella and queso fresco are also good mild options.
Dressing Ingredients
- Plain Greek Yogurt: The creamy, tangy base of the dressing, offering a healthier alternative to sour cream or heavy cream.
- Mayo: Adds a creamy richness, perfectly complementing the tang of the yogurt.
- Garlic Powder: A subtle, savory note that deepens the flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the dish, bringing out the natural sweetness of the corn and the sharpness of the cheese.
- Sugar (or honey) – Just a bit to balance the tanginess of the lemon, mayo and Greek yogurt.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh and zesty, this brightens up the dressing and adds a refreshing acidity that ties all the flavors together.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Helps balance the acidity of the lemon juice, creating a smoother, well-rounded dressing. It also enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and gives the dressing a more silky texture.
Tips for the Best Creamy Corn Pasta Salad
Fresh corn is worth it when you have time – Canned and frozen corn both work great, but fresh cooked corn adds a natural sweetness and crispness that takes this salad up a notch. If you have the extra time, it’s worth it.
Let it chill before serving – Give it at least 30 minutes in the fridge before eating. The flavors come together so much better once everything has had time to sit.
Taste and adjust before serving – The pasta absorbs a lot of the dressing as it chills, so give it a quick stir and a taste before serving. A little extra Greek yogurt, mayo, extra lemon juice or salt can make a big difference.
Easy to customize: Feel free to add other veggies like diced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or cucumbers. You could even add more protein like grilled chicken, diced ham, black beans or hard-boiled eggs.
Creamy Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta about 2 cups uncooked
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup corn canned, drained – fresh, cooked – OR frozen, thawed
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, queso fresco or mozzarella (any mild cheese works)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, you can make the dressing. In a medium or large sized bowl, add the Greek yogurt, mayo, garlic powder, salt, sugar, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Stir until mixed well and dressing is smooth and creamy.
- Once pasta is done cooking, move to a strainer and drain well.
- Add the drained pasta, corn and Parmesan cheese to the bowl with the dressing. Gently stir until everything is well combined.
- Enjoy immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- If you give this a try, help me out by giving it a quick rating below! Just scroll down and click on the number of stars. Thank you SO much!
Nutrition
How to Store Creamy Corn Pasta Salad
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. This is a great one to make at the beginning of the week for easy lunches and quick dinners.
Before serving leftovers: The dressing gets absorbed as it sits, so give it a good stir and add a small spoonful of Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a drizzle of olive oil to freshen it back up.
More Easy Cold Pasta Salad Recipes
If you loved this creamy corn pasta salad, you’ll want to check out some of my other favorite easy pasta salad recipes! From light and creamy to bold and zesty, there’s something for every occasion.
Really good! The only thing I changed is I don’t rinse to cool down the pasta. When I did that I thought there was too much sauce. I put the sauce on warm pasta then into fridge and I think the pasta absorbs some of it
I’m glad it worked out and that you liked it!
So good and so easy! Me and my kids both love it.