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Juicy Street Corn Pasta Salad

A fresh, tangy pasta salad inspired by Mexican street corn, this dish combines grilled sweet corn, creamy dressing, cotija cheese, herbs, and short pasta for a crowd-pleasing side or main.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Corn
  • 12 ounces short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
  • 4 ears fresh corn - husked (or 3 cups frozen corn, thawed) If using frozen corn, broil for char.
Dressing
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice About 1 lime.
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt More to taste.
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Toppings and Herbs
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish.
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 small jalapeno – seeded and minced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
  2. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Brush corn with olive oil and grill for 8-10 minutes until blistered. Cool slightly, then slice kernels off the cob.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
Combine Ingredients
  1. In a large bowl, mix the charred corn, cooked pasta, cotija cheese, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeno (if using).
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat.
Chill and Serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours, to allow flavors to meld.
  2. Before serving, garnish with reserved cotija cheese and an extra pinch of chili powder.

Notes

For variations, consider adding toasted pumpkin seeds or black beans. For a lighter option, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.