Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or those hot nights when you simply cannot fathom turning on the oven, this corn and pasta salad recipe tastes like summer in a bowl. Fresh corn and in-season tomatoes and basil make it sing, though you can substitute defrosted frozen corn in a pinch. The easiest way to cut corn off its cob is with a rimmed baking sheet, small bowl, and serrated knife: Place the bowl upside down on the baking sheet, hold the ear vertically on top, and slice downward. All the kernels will fall neatly within the sheet. If you use frozen corn, opt for a quality brand since it will provide a lot of the flavor and texture in this easy recipe. To make this a vegan corn pasta salad, swap in a ¼ cup nutritional yeast for the grated Parmesan. You can also use different pasta shapes like orecchiette, rotini, or jaunty elbow macaroni. Substitute chopped parsley for some or all of the basil, or throw in a handful of chopped mint or oregano.
The garlic-basil dressing is versatile too. Drizzle it onto a Caprese salad or mix in some mayo to turn it into a sandwich spread, use it to dress baby spinach or microgreens, or add it to chunks of roasted eggplant and chopped green olives for a caponata-style summer side dish.