Corn and Miso Pasta Salad
The interplay between the crunch of the celery, the chew of the pasta and the pop of the corn kernels makes this (potentially vegan) pasta salad a textural pleasure to eat. Pasta salads that you can easily eat with a spoon reign supreme, and ditalini’s petite shape — which mimics the size of fresh corn kernels — makes it the perfect pasta candidate. Miso adds savory notes and deep umami flavor to the mayonnaise dressing. This recipe calls for Calabrian chile, but the miso-mayo mix is versatile: You can substitute anything from chopped chipotles in adobo to a spoonful of gochujang for a hit of heat.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 8ounces ditalini pasta
- 4ears fresh corn, shucked and washed
- 2large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped
- 2/3cup finely minced fresh chives
- Granulated sugar
- 4 1/2tablespoons white or yellow miso
- 4 1/2tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2tablespoons finely chopped Calabrian chiles (or minced chipotles in adobo, or gochujang, or sambal oelek), plus more to taste
- 1/2cup mayonnaise (vegan, if desired)
Directions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add ditalini to the water and boil according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well and set aside.
Grab a large bowl and invert a smaller bowl inside of it. Hold the corn upright on the center of the smaller bowl. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice downward to shave the kernels off the cob. Discard the cobs and remove the smaller bowl. Add the cooked ditalini, plus the celery and chives. Season with a large pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar; toss to combine.
In the smaller bowl, whisk to combine the miso, lemon juice and Calabrian chile. Add the mayonnaise and whisk until fully incorporated.
Combine with the corn mixture and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, chile, salt or sugar as needed. Store refrigerated (up to 3 days) until serving.
Nutrition
- Info
- Trans Fat: 0 gramsFat: 17 gramsCalories: 373Saturated Fat: 3 gramsUnsaturated Fat: 14 gramsSodium: 641 milligramsSugar: 9 gramsFiber: 4 gramsCarbohydrate: 48 gramsProtein: 9 grams