Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta with charred corn, lime, and chili; a fresh, creamy salad for summer sides or light meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3-4 ears)
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/4 cup sour cream
08 - 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
09 - Juice of 2 limes
10 - 1 tsp chili powder
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
13 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
14 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

→ Finishing

15 - 1/4 cup cotija cheese, for topping
16 - Extra cilantro, for garnish
17 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and half of the cotija cheese into the bowl. Toss gently to coat evenly with the dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Before serving, sprinkle remaining cotija cheese and extra cilantro on top. Serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes like summer captured in a bowl, with smoky corn and bright lime cutting through the creaminess.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors marry in the fridge.
  • It's flexible enough to tweak based on what's in your pantry or how spicy you're feeling that day.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta after cooking is crucial, otherwise it clumps together and the dressing won't coat evenly.
  • Charring the corn makes all the difference, skip it and you'll miss that smoky backbone that defines the dish.
  • Let it chill before serving, the flavors are good immediately but they bloom into something special after resting.
03 -
  • Toast your chili powder and smoked paprika in the dry skillet for 30 seconds before mixing the dressing, it deepens the flavor remarkably.
  • If cotija is hard to find, crumbled feta is the closest match in texture and saltiness.
  • Don't overdress the pasta, you can always add more but you can't take it back once it's too creamy.
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