We absolutely adore summer pasta salads, especially this one with cilantro sauce! They're super easy to make, don't heat up the kitchen, and you can throw in all sorts of fun veggies. Plus, there are so many cute pasta shapes to choose from for summer salads. I whipped up this pasta salad with cilantro sauce using veggies from our fridge and some leftover chicken strips. Our goal with this pasta salad was to slash as many calories as possible while keeping those amazing flavors.

I'm not a fan of whole wheat pasta, so we don't use it in our summer pasta salads. However, I know that whole wheat pasta would cut a few more calories, and anyone who likes it should use it for this recipe. We always focus on the flavors we love and try to cut calories wherever possible while keeping the great taste in the dish. One key way to lose weight is to make sure you don't deprive yourself of the foods you love. We can't eat everything we want, but we should never eat something we don't like, like overnight oats! Yes, they might be low in calories and even good for you, but if they don't taste good, or taste like eating paste I'm going to be a grump all day! So, this pasta salad with cilantro sauce is full of flavor which makes me happy!

Making this easy Pasta salad recipe with cilantro sauce

I'm excited to share this super easy pasta salad recipe with cilantro sauce that only takes about 20 minutes to make. First, start by boiling some water. While the water is heating up, you can sauté the sweet corn. Once the water is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, chop up the onions, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and chicken. By the time the pasta is done, your veggies will be ready to go. After adding the cooked pasta to the serving bowl and letting it cool, it's time to whip up the delicious cilantro sauce by mixing cilantro and sour cream in a food processor with lime juice, red wine vinegar and salt.

Preparing the pasta and Corn in this easy pasta salad.

Start the water to boil. While waiting for the water to boil (don't watch it!). Saute the corn in one or two teaspoons of olive oil. Heat the olive oil and add the corn, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Saute until the corn starts to turn golden color. Take 3 to 5 minutes about the same amount of time for the water to start boiling.

When the water starts to boil add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the water and then add the pasta. For this easy pasta salad recipe make sure to follow the directions on the pasta box. Cook the Pasta el dente according to the directions on the box. When the pasta is done drain it and place it in a serving bowl.

Prepare the Veggies and Corn

While the Pasta is cooking. Chop the onions, cucumbers, and sweet pepper. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.

Why use Fat Free or Light Sour Cream over regular sour cream?

Like we always say don't eat wasted calories unless, of course, it's some onion rings a big juicy cheeseburger, or that DQ Peanut Buster Parfait. Haha.

For this easy pasta salad recipe, we decided to go with light sour cream. We really wanted to use fat-free sour cream, but unfortunately, it wasn't available at our grocery store. When you add extras like cilantro, vinegar, and lime juice to sour cream, you don't really need the full-fat version. The light or non-fat sour cream turns out creamy and has an amazing flavor. So, feel free to use whichever sour cream you prefer for this recipe. And just in case you're wondering, the estimated amount of calories per serving for this recipe is:

Full Fat Sour Cream - 170 Calories
Light Sour Cream - 156 Calories
Non-Fat Sour Cream - 142 Calories
Oh if using Mayonnaise - 277 Calories

There are significant savings when using mayonnaise instead of sour cream. Although there are only a few calories saved when using regular full-fat sour cream over the light version, any savings are helpful, especially when there is no difference in flavor.

Here are some other recipes we thought you might enjoy:

Air fryer tuna Melt - a great way to enjoy a classic treat. Easy to make and really fun to eat. Lower in calories and full of flavor!

Garden-to-table summer salad - combines sweet bell peppers, crunchy onions, and cherry tomatoes all tossed together in a zesty dressing topped off with feta cheese.

Grilled potato salad - is the perfect summer side dish for any occasion: light, tangy, and full of flavor! Try this classic summer dish.

Perfect tuna pasta salad - This classic Tuna Pasta Salad recipe will be a great addition to your summer BBQ parties. It's lower in calories and full of flavor

Tartar sauce - Easy, low-fat tartar sauce is better than store bought and you'll never know there isn't any mayo! Tangy and creamy, the perfect sauce for any fish