Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Vibrant pasta salad with sweet corn, creamy dressing and spices.

# 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 - Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Preheat grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil corn and cook, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then cut kernels from cobs. If using frozen corn, sauté in dry skillet until lightly golden.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper in large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
04 - Add cooled pasta, corn kernels, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to dressing bowl. Toss well until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled cotija cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
06 - Refrigerate salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with additional cilantro, lime wedges, and sprinkle of chili powder if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Its the perfect crowd-pleasing side that actually gets better as it sits
  • The combination of sweet corn, spicy kick, and creamy dressing is addictive
  • Comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all day on it
02 -
  • The salad really needs that chilling time to let flavors meld properly
  • Cotija is worth seeking out, but feta is a totally fine backup
  • Dont skip rinsing the pasta with cold water or it will keep cooking and get mushy
03 -
  • If using frozen corn, sauté it in a dry skillet until lightly golden for that roasted flavor
  • Taste before serving, sometimes it needs an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lime

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