Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable View)
Sweet corn, creamy dressing, and cotija cheese create this vibrant Mexican-inspired dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 ears fresh corn (or 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed)
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Dressing
07 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
08 - 1/2 cup sour cream
09 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
10 - 1 tsp chili powder
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Cheese
15 - 3.5 oz cotija cheese or feta, crumbled
→ Optional Garnishes
16 - Extra cilantro
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Chili powder for sprinkling
# How-To Steps:
01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - Preheat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the corn and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender (8–10 minutes). Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cobs. If using frozen corn, sauté in a dry skillet until lightly golden.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, corn kernels, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl. Toss well to coat everything evenly in the dressing.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled cotija cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Chill the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra cilantro, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of chili powder, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It captures everything magical about Mexican street corn but in a form that feeds a crowd without the mess
- The flavors actually get better after a few hours in the fridge, making it perfect for prep ahead
02 -
- Dont skip rinsing the pasta with cold water or itll keep cooking and turn mushy
- The salad needs that chill time for the dressing to really soak into the pasta and corn
03 -
- Cut the corn kernels off the cob directly into a large bowl to contain the mess
- Taste before serving since the pasta absorbs some of the seasoning as it sits