Miso and Fresh Corn Pasta Salad

The Only Recipe You Need When It's Too Hot to Cook

You know the days. The air conditioner is working overtime, the thought of turning on the oven feels like a personal attack, and yet — you still have to eat dinner. Enter: Miso Corn Pasta Salad. One pot, ten minutes of actual cooking, and a payoff that tastes like you tried way harder than you did. We won't tell.

This isn't your grandma's mayo-drenched macaroni salad (no shade on grandma here!). The dressing here is doing something more interesting — savory miso, bright lemon, a little heat from Calabrian chiles (or other), all folded into just enough mayo to bring it together. Sweet corn and crisp celery keep every bite fresh, and a flurry of chives on top makes it look like you have your life together. You don't need to. The salad's got you.

Why This Works on a Scorcher

The entire "cooking" portion of this recipe (adapted from a New York Times recipe) happens in one pot of boiling water — you're cooking pasta in less time than it takes to doomscroll through your phone while waiting for water to boil. Everything else is chopping and stirring, no heat required. Serve it cold or at room temp, and it somehow tastes even better the next day, which means today's "too hot to cook" problem also solves tomorrow's.

Miso Corn Pasta Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Kosher salt

• 8 ounces ditalini pasta (half a box of the Barilla brand)

• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked, silk removed and kernals cut off the cob. If you prefer a more corn-forward approach, add another ear. Or, two.

• 2 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 small red bell pepper, small dice

• ⅔ cup finely minced fresh chives

• Granulated sugar (how much? enough to suit your buds)

• 2 ½ tablespoons white or yellow miso

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped Calabrian chiles (or minced chipotles in adobo, gochujang, or sambal oelek), plus more to taste.

• ½ cup mayonnaise (vegan, if desired... which is how I roll)

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the ditalini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain into a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Drain thoroughly.

2. Cut the corn kernels. Stand each ear of corn upright on a plate or in a large bowl, and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. Then, run the back of the knife blade down the cob to extract as much 'juice' as you can.

3. Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the miso, lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, and the Calabrian chiles until smooth. Whisk in the mayonnaise until fully combined and creamy. Like more heat? Add more chilies.

4. Toss it all together. Add the cooled pasta, corn kernels, celery, bell pepper, and most of the chives to the bowl. Toss well to coat everything evenly in the dressing.

5. Taste and adjust. Add more lemon juice, chiles, or a pinch of salt to taste — it should be tangy, a little funky from the miso, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting. See the Notes below for some interesting add-ins.

6. Finish and serve. Scatter the remaining chives on top. Serve right away at room temperature, or chill for at least 30 minutes if you want it cold. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

• No Calabrian chiles on hand? Minced chipotles in adobo bring smokiness, gochujang brings a sweeter heat, and sambal oelek keeps it clean and sharp — all work beautifully.

• This salad is endlessly adaptable: add sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh or frozen (cooked, rinsed in cold water and drained) peas or edamame, minced red onion, crumbled feta, or shredded rotisserie chicken to make it a full meal. Serve with grilled vegan sausages? Yeah, that sounds legit. Maybe some watermelon? Now, we're talkin'.

  
  

Stay cool out there.