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–+ servings
creamy smoky corn pasta

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 52 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 Whisk
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 set measuring cups
  • 1 set measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounce pasta shells small
  • 4 cup water for boiling pasta
  • 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
  • 2 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for corn
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for corn
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder for corn
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt for corn
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice fresh
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder for dressing
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt for dressing
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes quartered optional
  • 1 avocado diced optional

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the pasta shells according to package directions until al dente.
  • Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cold water to cool, and set aside to drain thoroughly.
  • While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the corn kernels, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Transfer the charred corn to a plate to cool slightly.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and cherry tomatoes if using.
  • Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss gently with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly coated.
  • Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice to taste.
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  • Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado if using and garnish with extra cotija and cilantro.

Notes

For best flavor, use al dente pasta and let the salad rest in the fridge so the dressing absorbs into the noodles without becoming mushy; if making ahead by several hours, reserve some dressing to stir in right before serving because pasta continues to soak it up, and add avocado at the last minute to prevent browning. Charring the corn well is key to developing the classic street-corn flavor—if you have access to a grill, char whole ears and cut off the kernels after, or use a very hot dry skillet for frozen corn. Adjust heat with more or less jalapeño and chili powder, and if cotija is unavailable, feta is a good substitute, while Greek yogurt can stand in for some or all of the sour cream for a lighter version.
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