A Delicious Summer Coastal Recipe You Can Make In Less Than 20 Minutes

Summer cooking near the coast tends to follow one rule in our house: keep it simple.

When the weather is warm and everyone would rather be outside, the best meals are the ones that come together quickly, use fresh ingredients, and can be made ahead of time. This shrimp and corn pasta salad checks all of those boxes. It’s bright, fresh, and full of flavors that feel like summer..sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, fresh dill, and tender shrimp.

It’s the kind of dish you can make for a casual dinner, bring to a beach gathering, or keep in the fridge for easy lunches the next day.

Here’s how I make it.

Shrimp and Corn Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb small pasta of choice
• 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced (yellow works great too)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 lb shrimp

For the sauce

• ¾ cup mayo
• ½ cup sour cream
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Fresh dill (generously!)

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Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Corn

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until tender.

During the last 1–2 minutes of cooking, add the fresh corn directly into the pot with the pasta. This softens the corn slightly while keeping its sweet crunch.

Drain everything and transfer it to a large bowl. Let it cool before adding the other ingredients.

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Step 2: Cook the Shrimp

You can either grill or bake the shrimp depending on what’s easiest.

Toss the shrimp with olive oil and your favorite seafood seasoning.

If baking, spread them on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400° oven for 8–10 minutes, until pink and cooked through.

If grilling, simply grill them until done. Quick and easy!

Let the shrimp cool slightly before adding them to the salad.

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Step 3: Add the Fresh Ingredients

Once the pasta has cooled, add:

• sliced scallions
• diced bell pepper
• halved grape tomatoes
• cooked shrimp

Give everything a gentle toss.

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Step 4: Make the Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• ¾ cup mayo
• ½ cup sour cream
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• plenty of fresh dill

Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and stir until everything is well coated.

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Step 5: Chill Before Serving

Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Letting it chill for a bit helps all the flavors come together, making it even better by the time it hits the table.

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The Perfect Summer Dish

This shrimp and corn pasta salad is one of those meals that feels just right for warm weather. It’s fresh, filling, and easy enough to throw together on a busy day.

Serve it for dinner after a beach day, bring it to a summer gathering, or keep it in the fridge for quick lunches during the week.

Simple ingredients, bright flavors, and ready in under 20 minutes. Exactly how summer cooking should feel!