What's a spring/summer picnic without a fabulous pasta salad? My roasted shrimp and sweet corn pasta salad is an elegant way to elevate a traditional pasta salad, and it's perfect for warm weather, since there's no mayo! I toast up garlic with some extra virgin olive oil, and toss the penne pasta, shrimp and veggies with this infused garlic oil, plus a squeeze of lemon for a bright, tangy pasta salad with a hint of sweetness from the corn.
I love this pasta salad for beach picnics, it packs well and can be eaten cold or hot. My mom absolutely LOVES this salad, and requests it every time we visit the gorgeous beaches of coastal New Jersey. So kick off your flip flops and curl up to a delicious bowl of this salad, let's get cooking!
1 pound Barilla® penne pasta
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 ears fresh corn
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 oz jar of capers, drained
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast them for 5-7 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque.
When the shrimp are cool, slice them in half lengthwise.
Meanwhile, to make the garlic oil, thinly slice 4 garlic cloves.
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a pan and heat on very low heat. Then add in the sliced garlic, and cook until the garlic turns golden brown (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the heat from the pan, and set aside.
Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions.
2 minutes before pasta is done, add in the corn cobs.
To assemble the pasta salad, drain pasta and corn. Set the corn aside.
Place the hot pasta into a bowl, and add the garlic oil. Toss to combine.
Cut the corn off of the cob, then toss it onto the pasta. Add the shrimp, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers.
Mix everything together thoroughly, then cool the salad in the fridge for 2-3 hours. (You can also serve this right away, if you're eating it warm.)
Right before serving, toss in the fresh basil.
Enjoy with a crisp glass of white wine, some sunshine in your face and some sand in between your toes. Happy cooking!
Roasted Shrimp and Sweet Corn Pasta Salad
