This post is sponsored by Smart & Final. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

With frozen ingredients ready in minutes to prepared dressings, you can make this simple recipe in minutes. It’s one of my favorites for cutting back on prep time, but not on flavor.

Skipping the complicated recipes for simple ones feels like a summer must.

Another must for last-minute get-togethers: one-stop shopping. I headed to my local Smart & Final so I could get everything needed for a party from produce to paper goods. Hamburgers, fresh fruit, potato salad, and an array of beverages were added to my cart. Because I knew I didn’t have to race around town or spend extra signing up for a membership, I grabbed hamburger toppings like my current obsession: pineapple rings and teriyaki sauce.

Another flavorful dish I added to the barbecue buffet was the easiest pasta salad ever! The vegetarian side dish incorporates easy to uses fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, onion, and corn. It’s mixed with a creamy cilantro lime dressing. While you could certainly make it from scratch, I opted for the easy option of using a premade salad dressing to flavor the bowtie pasta.

Easy Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 16 oz bowtie pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
• 2 c. First Street cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1 jar Brianna’s Home Style Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Instructions:

Start by cooking bowtie pasta according to the package directions. Once al dente, drain and set aside.

Separately, cook three ears of corn. Once cooled, cut corn off of the cob.

Time Saver: Pick up frozen First Street corn on the cob. They can be microwaved which cuts down on the prep time considerably.

While cooking pasta & corn, prepare other ingredients.

Now you’re ready to assemble the easy pasta salad!

Combine cooked pasta with tomatoes, onion, corn, and cilantro. Toss with Brianna’s Home Style Creamy Cilantro Lime salad dressing or similar.

Keep cool until ready to serve.

Top with avocado prior to serving.

Findng the perfect salad dressing for this pasta salad at Smart & Final meant the whole thing came together in the same amount of time as it took to cook my pasta (about 12 minutes). It’s a cost effective, time-saver that is seriously delicious.

There are so many great opportunities to enjoy this easy pasta salad. From family gatherings to birthday parties, it’s quickly becoming a must-have menu item at our house. It’s been a challenging year, and I don’t want to miss any celebrations because the idea of hosting sounds daunting.

Smart & Final Celebrates its 150th Anniversary

There’s always a reason to celebrate, but I’m adding one more to your list. Smart & Final, the “smaller, faster grocery warehouse store” is turning 150! The store was originally founded Hellman-Hass Grocery Co. in Los Angeles, and is now 250 stores strong. It’s the oldest and longest continually operating food retailers in the US, so it’s been a resource for party throwers for a very long time!

Join in the Smart & Final 150th Anniversary Party!

Let’s take it way back! Smart & Final will publish a special series of #TBT (#Throw BackThursday) posts highlighting some of Smart & Final’s best historical photos. Trivia buffs following Smart & Final on Instagram (@smartfinal) also will enjoy history quizzes on stories with $25 gift cards being awarded weekly. It’s a fun way to celebrate along with Smart & Final and possibly win!

Looking for more easy recipes?

• Sheet Pan Vegetable Hash with Eggs {Recipe}
• The Best Springtime Farro and Kale Salad
• Easy S’mores Candy Bark

I’m making up time for all the missed celebrations with easy recipes. What’s your go-to barbecue side dish?