Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable)
Bright, creamy pasta with charred corn, lime, chili-mayo, Cotija and cilantro—chill and serve as a flavorful side.
# What goes in:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or rotini
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 ears fresh corn, shucked, or 3 cups thawed frozen corn
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 green onions, sliced
05 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
→ Dressing
06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/3 cup sour cream
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Cheese & Garnishes
14 - 3.5 oz Cotija cheese, crumbled, or feta as substitute
15 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
02 - Grill fresh corn on a hot grill or grill pan, rotating often, until lightly charred on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then cut kernels off the cobs. For frozen corn, sauté in a dry skillet over high heat until lightly charred.
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.
04 - Add cooked pasta, charred corn kernels, red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, Cotija cheese, and jalapeño to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy, smoky dressing captures all the best flavors of street corn right in your salad bowl.
- It turns ordinary cookouts on their head—people always ask for seconds or the recipe.
02 -
- Pasta straight from the pot can water down the dressing, so take the time to cool and dry it first.
- I once used sweet paprika instead of smoked, and it completely changed the depth—go for smoked if you can.
03 -
- Whisking the dressing separately ensures every bite gets an even coating.
- Charring the corn in a skillet works great if you don’t have a grill—just let it sit undisturbed so you get those caramelized bits.