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woman s street corn pasta salad

Female Foodie Street Corn Pasta Salad

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot
  • 1 colander
  • 1 large skillet or grill pan
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 Small mixing bowl
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 measuring cup set
  • 1 measuring spoon set
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 serving bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounce pasta shells or rotini
  • 4 ears corn on the cob or 3 cups corn kernels thawed if frozen
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup lime juice fresh
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
  • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  • Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking, and set aside to cool.
  • While the pasta cooks, cut the corn kernels from the cobs if using fresh corn.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the corn kernels to the skillet, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook 5–7 minutes until lightly charred, stirring occasionally.
  • Transfer the charred corn to a large mixing bowl and let it cool slightly.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, hot sauce, and sugar if using until smooth.
  • Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the corn.
  • Add cotija cheese, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and green onions to the pasta and corn.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, lime juice, or hot sauce as desired.
  • Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with extra cotija and cilantro if desired.

Notes

For best flavor, char the corn deeply without burning it, as those browned spots mimic classic street corn; if you grill the corn on the cob instead of using a skillet, slice the kernels off after grilling for extra smokiness. Make sure the pasta and corn are mostly cool before adding the dairy-based dressing so it doesn’t separate, and chill the salad long enough for the flavors to develop but add avocado at the last minute to keep it from browning. This salad holds well for a day in the refrigerator, but if you plan to make it ahead, reserve some dressing to stir in just before serving to keep it creamy and consider offering extra lime wedges, chili powder, and hot sauce at the table so everyone can customize the heat and tang to their liking.
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