Corn and Avocado Pasta Salad with Cilantro and Lime

With the bounty of fresh produce available right now, there’s no reason why every pasta salad you make shouldn’t be bursting to the brim with veggies. This unconventional pasta salad does just that, combining all your summer favorites into a bright and tangy side. It’s fresh and flavorful yet creamy, too, thanks to buttery ripe avocado in every single bite.

The best part about summer cooking is that when you start with fresh ingredients at their peak, it takes very little effort to turn them into a delicious meal. As the pasta cooks, you’ll simply cut corn from the cob (or grab a bag of frozen corn, which is frozen at peak freshness), dice the avocado (it’s ready when it gives slightly at the poles, not the equator), and chop some cilantro. A simple lime vinaigrette brings everything together.

One final ingredient really makes this recipe pop: diced red onion. When added raw, it’s all you’ll taste, but when tamed, it adds a pretty pink color and appealing flavor. While you can pickle or soak red onion to dull its sharp edges, but this pasta salad calls for an even easier method. Dice a small red onion, then transfer to a fine mesh strainer set over the sink. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it through the strainer over the onion. The boiling water rushing over the chopped onion tempers its sharp bite without adding an extra step.