Summer is the season of pasta salads. They feed a crowd and are quick and easy to throw together, which makes them perfect for potlucks, picnics, and barbeques. Plus they’re a great way to sneak more veggies into kids (or adults) who claim to not even like fresh corn (ahem, Mike).
Succotash is a Southern dish that usually has lima beans, corn, and bell pepper, and it was the inspiration for my pasta salad.
I swapped out the lima beans for chickpeas because limas aren’t my favorite, plus I had chickpeas in my pantry. In true succotash fashion, I briefly cooked the veggies; the corn was sautéed in a touch of olive oil on the stovetop until it took on a little color (or if you prefer, you can char it on the grill or under the broiler); the red bell pepper and red onion were very shortly sautéed to slightly soften them, bring out the pepper’s sweetness, and mellow the onion’s sharpness.
The real highlight of this dish is the roasted garlic dressing. After roasting, garlic takes on a mellow, almost sweet and nutty flavor. It’s perfect for smearing on fresh bread or crackers (really, it spreads like butter) or making into dressing for salads. It’s one of those things that once you try, you will think of 1,000 different things it would be fantastic on.
A Note on Roasting the Garlic: I roasted my garlic in the oven but in the past I’ve also done it on the grill (wrapped in foil, just like the oven method I describe below). It’s finished roasting when it’s light caramel-colored and completely soft. It should actually just squeeze right out of its peel.
- 8 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (13.25 oz) box Dreamfields rotini pasta
- 1 medium-large ear of corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 1 cup corn)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Put the garlic (with peel still on) in foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and wrap securely. Place the wrapped garlic on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 40 minutes; cool, then peel.
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions; rinse with cold water and drain.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the corn and sauté until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and onion and sauté 2 minutes more. Cool.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, roasted garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the garlic dressing, pasta, cooled corn/bell pepper/onion mixture, chickpeas, and parsley.
- Chill until serving.
I adapted this recipe from Brandi’s recipe for Charred Corn and Jalapeno Pasta Salad with Cilantro Oil on Bran Appetit, and I’m sending this recipe to the July Progressive Party at Kitchen Play, which is sponsored by Dreamfields Pasta!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
I’ve actually never made a pasta salad!
Oh, this is calling my name. It’s so simple, but the idea of these flavors with the roasted garlic dressing sounds like heaven to me. Come to mama!
The pasta looks so springy and delightful! I love it :)
A delicious salad! I love anything garlicky…
Cheers,
Rosa
Looks so fresh and delicious! :)
This looks righhttt up my street, well anything with garlic in the title is a winner with me (even if the people around me disagree!) Lovely and simple looking salad, hope to give it a shot! :)
That looks delicious! And is it terrible but I’ve never tried succotash before! In fact I only know it from the cartoon :P
You can never beat a pasta salad and this sounds extra special.Diane
nice and simple recipe!
(Love that roasted garlic, Faith! We eat it on everything.)
I found a succotash recipe at Food 52 the other day, using edamame instead of limas. I made it and posted it on a little side blog I have. We loved it. Now I’m going to take that recipe, add pasta and your divine garlic dressing. We’ll be in heaven!
Roasted garlic is soooo good. There is something delicious about it, especially eating some with toasted bread. Yum!
roasted garlic is truly awesome! I had it in a pasta dish this weekend and have been dreaming about it ever since. The pasta salad is so pretty and so yummy. Leftovers would make an awesome lunch
Oh…I love the garlic dressing and the idea to add chickpeas to the pasta! Lovely and delightful dinner I could plan for my weekend, Faith.
I do like southern succotash in all its permutations (except for Big limas—just the baby lima beans for me), so this recipe really appeals to me. And, I can’t wait to try the roasted garlic dressing.
Perfect for a light summer dinner or lunch. Love the roasted garlic–nice touch.
Mmmmm….simple and delicious. Never thought of chickpeas in pasta. Love it. I love chickpeas….always just plain boil, sprinkle with some salt and enjoy as a snack.
Looks delicious, glad to see chick peas and not lima’s! And roasted garlic with pasta, just fantastic!
Roasted garlic dressing? Brilliant. I love roasted garlic anything. YUM!!
Oh and can we talk about your table? I want that table!!! Love the color of the wood!
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
You had me at roasted garlic dressing. Mmm, I bet that would be killer on so many things, including potato salad, too.
Your pasta salad looks lovely and quite yummy. I know I always write that about your food, but, hey, I’m a real fan.
The garlic dressing sounds like a super idea. You’re right, roasted garlic is quite different than raw and really tasty. I happen to like Lima beans and garbanzo. Perhaps I’d add both.
Faith,
The quality of your photos is exceptional. So vibrant and alive. Agreed with you on the star of this particular course, the roasted garlic dressing. Roasting garlic takes it to another flavor level.
Be well
Looks delicious! I\’m not a big lima bean fan either; I typically sub edamame. I love your dressing!
Yum! Pasta salad is one of my favorite summertime dishes. Yours looks delicious. Wow..that garlic dressing sounds great:)
Those pictures have me drooling for pasta salad. Perfect Summer far
Wow, beautiful salad pasta, a perfect meal for this warm days.
Hope you are having a wonderful week Faith :-)
Your succotash pasta is calling to me! I love all the fresh ingredients and it looks so delicious! And of course, your photos are absolutely beautiful!
hi, this is the first time I went to your blog because lazaro cooks posted one of your recipe on facebook and it thrills me to go over and look what’s your cookin. I like your pasta salad one of the foodblogger on erecipe also has it own version and you are both unique.
This dressing does sound wonderful, and I agree pasta salads are just made for summer :)
P.S. Not a big fan if lima beans either…glad you switched :)
Pasta salads do seem awfully summer-y…and that one, with the bright colors…looks it too. I am sure its delicious.
Now this is the kind of pasta salad I love. Oodles of garlic. Zero mayo. Heaven.
Makes me want to invite myself over for dinner.
is it possible to see the word “succotash” without hearing Sylvester exclaim “Sufferin’ succotash!”?
love the new layout / color scheme, by the way.
I loved the dressing with roasted garlic in the pasta salad, it gives a distinct flavour to the dish…absolutely good one
just hopped here to find you have an amazing blog..
Mmmmmmm, that looks so good. It is lunch time here and now I am craving a bowl of this. I love pasta salads, although the weather has been so dreadful here in Scotland lately that I have been having my pasta hot.
I would love this pasta salad with the lima beans or garbanzos. The roasted garlic dressing adds a whole bunch of something special :)
I always look forward to corn season, what a great way of including this great summer veggie into your pasta salad!
Succotash is a summer staple for me. That and slaw. My kids won’t touch either but, I bet if I added pasta like you they would. Genius!
Looks wonderful! I’d swap out the lima beans for chickpeas too! The roasted garlic dressing sounds heavenly by the way. I’m gonna have to make it sometime! :)
I love that you subbed out the lima beans because those are one of the few things I simply do not like! Great recipe!
I’m a few days early but Ramadan Kareem Faith!
Ameena, I completely agree about limas…my mom used to make them for us when we were kids and they were always dreaded by my sister and I. :)
Ramadan Kareem to you as well!
Faith your photos are once again beautiful!
I love roasting garlic, it’s so sweet and I can imagine the star in your pasta salad;-)
I do love a good pasta salad and the roasted garlic dressing sounds wonderful!
Love it, I’m such a pasta salad fan. Wouldn’t have thought to put the chickpeas in, but will have a go at it. :) The pics are gorgeous, I particularly love the shot of the flower, brings summer a little closer. :)
This is a perfect salad for picnics and I love the combination of pasta, chickpeas and hmm… roasted garlic!
I am a huge garlic fan and that garlic dressing is amazing. This salad looks perfect for the season.
thusfferin thusccotash, faith! what a great twist on one of my favorite sides–i’ll even forgive your replacement of lima beans with chickpeas. :)
Oh my, I gotta read better. When I first read your title I thought it was Scotish Pasta and thought, hmm..never heard of Scotish Pasta before. Either way, this looks delicious and healthy. Love you substitute for chickpeas instead of Lima beans. I’ve never tried roasting garlic myself before. I know that’s what would take this pasta to a whole new level. By the way. Battling prisoners, Pandas and doughnuts just meant battling some friend’s from Facebook. Haha. I know, I’m so mature. Lol.
This pasta looks great! I love that you used chickpeas…they are the best!