This corn, bacon, and jalapeno pasta salad with cheddar and summer vegetables is divine. Everything is tossed in an ultra flavourful chili lime vinaigrette for the perfect late summer side dish that is perfect for potlucks and BBQs!

high angled overhead shot of a bowl of the salad with lime wedges and basil leaves around it

I mentioned this recipe in my week 2 marathon training recap. Here it is! We in my house are obsessed with this summery corn, bacon, and jalapeno pasta salad. It is just so flavourful and colourful. It encompasses everything that I love about late summer. The veggies, the bacon, the cheddar cheese, and the chili lime vinaigrette coalesce into one spectacular dish.

process and ingredient shot with the cooked pasta in a bowl and all other ingredients surrounding it

high angled ingredients shot of all the pasta salad ingredients assembled in a wooden bowl

why you’ll love this pasta salad

Requires minimal cooking: You’ll be happy to know that you won’t have to turn on your oven when preparing this pasta salad. The pasta, corn, and bacon are the only ingredients that require you to turn on your stove. Everything else is either raw or, in the case of the jalapenos and roasted red peppers, from a jar.
Satisfying: This pasta salad is ultra satisfying and balanced thanks to the complex carbs in the whole grain pasta, the fat in the cheese, bacon, and homemade chili lime vinaigrette, and the protein in the cheese and pasta.
Flavourful: This recipe is bursting with flavour thanks to the bacon, cheese, pickled jalapenos, and chili lime vinaigrette.
Good for you: All the veggies, whole grains, protein- and calcium-rich cheese, and olive oil in this recipe give it mega points in the good-for-you category.

preparation shot showing all of the ingredients in a bowl before being tossed with the dressing

ingredients you’ll need for this corn, bacon, and jalapeno pasta salad

Pasta: Any short pasta will work: Penne, fusilli, rotini, or macaroni are good choices.
Bacon: I like to use organic bacon. When you cook the bacon, reserve one tablespoon of the bacon fat for cooking the corn. If vegetarian, you can omit this.
Cheddar cheese: Strong cheddar cheese adds flavour, richness, protein, and calcium to this pasta salad.
Cherry tomatoes
Roasted red peppers
Baby kale or baby spinach
Cilantro or basil
Pickled jalapenos
Corn, cut off of the cob, or use thawed frozen corn
Extra virgin olive oil
Lime juice
Balsamic vinegar
Chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin
Garlic
Sea salt and pepper
Honey

overhead shot of a bowl of the corn bacon avocado pasta salad on a light pink backdrop with the dressing and basil leaves around it

how to make this late summer pasta salad

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside to cool.

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Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Transfer onto a plate lined with paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the skillet. Warm the fat over medium heat and add the corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Once the bacon has cooled, chop it into small pieces.

Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl. Add the cheddar, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kale, cilantro or basil, pickled jalapenos, and corn.

Make the dressing: Place the oil, lime juice, balsamic, spices, garlic, salt, pepper, and honey in a jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously to combine.

Right before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Leftover pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To revive the flavours, add a spritz of lime juice to each serving of leftover salad.

angled overhead shot of a bowl of the corn bacon avocado pasta salad on a light pink backdrop

more late summer recipes to enjoy

I hope that you love this corn, bacon, and jalapeno pasta salad! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post.

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Enjoy!