Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable)
A vibrant fusion of Italian pasta and Mexican street corn flavors with a zesty lime cream dressing.
# 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
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brush corn with oil and cook, turning frequently, until kernels develop charred spots and become tender, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut kernels from the cobs. For frozen corn, sauté in a 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 fully combined and smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta, corn kernels, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled cotija cheese. Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed to balance flavors.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, garnish with additional cilantro, lime wedges, and a light dusting of chili powder if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The combination of charred corn and creamy dressing tastes just like street corn but in a form that feeds a crowd
- It actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for prep-ahead parties
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water is not optional unless you want gummy, overcooked pasta salad
- The salad needs those 15 minutes of chilling time for the flavors to really develop and the dressing to penetrate the pasta
03 -
- Cut the corn off the cob inside a large bowl or directly into your salad bowl to contain the flying kernels
- If the dressing feels too thick after chilling, a tablespoon of water or lime juice brings it back to life