Pasta Salad with Grilled Zucchini (Printable Version)

Smoky grilled zucchini and sweet corn tossed with pasta, Cotija, cilantro and lime for a bright summer dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 225 g (8 oz) short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium zucchinis, sliced lengthwise
03 - 2 ears fresh corn, husked (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed)
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Cheese

07 - 3/4 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
10 - 1 tsp honey or agave syrup
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp cumin
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the zucchini slices and corn with olive oil.
03 - Grill the zucchini for about 2-3 minutes per side, until tender and lightly charred. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until slightly charred.
04 - Transfer grilled zucchini to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Slice the corn off the cob.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, grilled zucchini, corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, half the Cotija cheese, and cilantro.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
07 - Top salad with remaining Cotija cheese and serve immediately or chill for 1 hour for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that smoky summer flavor without needing to fire up a full grill setup.
  • I love how the tangy dressing and Cotija keep every bite surprising—never just another pasta salad.
02 -
  • Don’t skip rinsing the pasta—if you do, it’ll keep cooking and turn gluey in the salad.
  • I once went too heavy on the lime juice, so taste the dressing before pouring it all in; you can always add more but never less.
03 -
  • Chill the assembled salad for at least 30 minutes so everything melds into magic.
  • Don’t be afraid to char the corn—it’s where half the flavor hides.
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