Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Vibrant pasta salad with charred corn, creamy lime dressing, and cotija cheese for a refreshing Mexican-inspired side dish.
# What You 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 Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Preheat grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil corn ears and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender, about 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then cut kernels from cobs. For frozen corn, sauté in dry skillet until lightly golden.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add cooled pasta, corn kernels, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the bowl with dressing. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled cotija cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or chili powder if needed.
06 - Refrigerate salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled, garnished with additional cilantro, lime wedges, and extra chili powder if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamiest dressing clings to every curve and crevice of the pasta so no bite is bland
- You get all those irresistible street corn flavors but can feed a crowd without the mess of eating corn on the cob
- It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge, making it perfect make-ahead food
02 -
- Hot pasta will melt your cheese and make the dressing separate, so let everything cool completely before combining
- The pasta keeps drinking up that dressing as it sits, so do not be afraid to add a splash more lime juice or sour cream before serving leftovers
03 -
- Freeze leftover fresh corn in summer so you can make this year round with corn that actually tastes like something
- Use a microplane to zest some of that lime right into the dressing for next-level flavor