MEXICAN STREET CORN PASTA SALAD

This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe is perfect for summer entertaining with friends and family. Tossed in a flavorful chili lime dressing, this pasta salad recipe holds up well to hot summer days and nights. But it can be made any time of year with the help of three different types of corn (frozen, fresh, or canned) and a number of variations!

It is hot here in Vermont! I mean, super hot. Some days, I just can’t even think about taking a stroll outside. But all this warm weather sure makes me crave the flavors of summer. And the one ingredient that makes me think of all things summertime – corn.
Sweet, golden yellow, juicy corn. It’s beautiful this time of year and I just can’t get enough. Which is why my challenge was to come up with more and more recipes featuring this superb vegetable. So I took some inspiration from my three delicious corn recipes – Mexican Corn On The Cob, Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado, and Corn Salad with Black Beans.
But I wanted more of a potluck type dish that would be perfect for serving at the many summer picnics my husband and I have been attending. So I thought an elote corn salad with pasta salad would work wonders!
And it certainly does not disappoint! This Mexican Corn pasta salad with corn is a super filling side dish, it’ll be the hit at your next summer get-together!

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN STREET CORN PASTA SALAD

The recipe for Mexican sweet corn pasta salad has 3 folds:
First, cook the corn in one of two ways (but with three choices, more on that later!) – on the grill (or grill pan) or in a skillet. I prefer the grill method, but with the weather being so hot, sometimes cooking indoors on a grill pan or in a large skillet gets the job done.

HOW TO COOK CORN ON THE GRILL OR GRILL PAN

For the grill method, pull back the husks and tie with kitchen twine. Lightly brush the cobs with oil or melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the corn, turning occasionally with a set of tongs until charred in spots, about 2 minutes per side.
Cut the corn kernels from the cob and transfer to a large bowl to cool. While the corn is cooling, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to the time on the package, drain, and transfer to the bowl with the corn.

HOW TO COOK CORN IN A SKILLET

For the skillet method, cut the corn kernels from the cob.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Saute the corn, seasoning with salt and pepper, for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly caramelized and charred in spots. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
While the corn is cooling, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to the time on the package, drain, and transfer to the bowl with the corn.
Second, make the chili-lime dressing by mixing together the mayo, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust your seasonings as necessary, keeping in mind the cotija cheese for garnish is slightly salty!
Finally, assemble the roasted corn pasta salad by tossing the dressing with the corn and pasta, then add the chopped jalapenos, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss, making sure the dressing is evenly distributed. Transfer to a large salad plate and garnish with crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro!

INGREDIENTS FOR MEXICAN PASTA SALAD WITH CHILI LIME DRESSING

• Summer-Sweet Fresh Corn, canned or frozen can be substituted (we’ll get to that in a sec!)
• Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter, whichever flavor you prefer
• Salt & Pepper, of course
• Dry Pasta, I used Cellentani

A LITTLE NOTE ON PASTA: Cellentani is also known as cavatappi (affiliate link), a delightful corkscrew-shaped pasta. It’s fun and festive and works beautifully in pasta salads because of its tubular center, ridged surface, and sturdy texture. If you cannot find it in the grocery store, fusilli or farfalle (bow-tie) pasta work just as well.

• Mayo, I prefer Vegan Mayo, but regular mayo will work just fine
• Sour Cream
• Chili Powder
• Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
• Jalapenos, with the seeds and ribs removed for less spice
• Red Onion
• Fresh Cilantro
• Cotija Cheese, but feel free to substitute crumbled Feta or Queso Fresco cheese, too!

WHAT KIND OF CORN SHOULD I USE FOR MEXICAN PASTA SALAD WITH CORN?

I’m glad you asked! While I am a big fan of any pasta salad with fresh corn, to make this recipe year-round and still get that sweet corn flavor, you can use canned or frozen corn in place of the fresh.

THREE TYPES OF CORN

1. Fresh – During the spring and summer months, fresh is best! I used 6 ears of fresh corn for this recipe, which will yield about 4 ½ – 5 cups.
2. Canned – If fresh is not in season, canned corn is an easy substitute. For this recipe, you will need 3 (15 oz) cans of corn. Just make sure to drain and rinse to wash away some of the extra salt in the canned variety.
3. Frozen – I prefer frozen, however, if fresh is not available. Three (10 oz) bags should yield the same amount required for this recipe. And the beauty of frozen corn is that the kernels are already off the cob, which saves you a step. Even better, there is no need to thaw! Simply add 1-2 minutes extra cooking time when sauteing the frozen corn in a skillet.

Print

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

★★★★★
5 from 7 reviews

This Mexican Streed Corn Pasta salad is packed with delicious summer corn, jalapenos, red onion, and a creamy chili lime dressing. It can be made with fresh, frozen, grilled, or canned corn. Ready in 30 minutes, it is perfect when you need to feed a crowd!

• Author: Aysegul Sanford
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale

For The Corn:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
• 6 ears of corn, kernels cut from cubs – Approximately 4 ½ to 5 cups
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Pasta:

• 8 oz. of dry pasta, I used cellentani, but fusilli and farfalle (bow tie) would also work.

For The Mexican Corn Dressing:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise (I prefer this vegan mayo – affiliate link)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed (from 1 ½ to 2 limes)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Mexican Corn Salad:

• 2 medium-size jalapeno, seeded and sliced/chopped
• ½ cup red onion, chopped finely
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped – more to use as garnish
• ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled

Instructions

For The Grilled/Roasted Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:

1. To prep the corn: Fold the husk of each corn back leaf by leaf and tie them with kitchen twine. Lightly brush corn on the cub with oil.
2. Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill. Grill corn, turning occasionally until it is charred in spots. Keep an eye on it as this happens rather quickly.
3. Cut the corn off the cob and place the corn in a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
4. While the corn is cooling, cook the pasta following the instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain and transfer to a bowl. Add in the roasted corn.
5. To make the Mexican Corn Dressing (Chili Lime Dressing): Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
6. To assemble the Roasted Corn Pasta Salad: Pour the chili lime corn dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad. 
7. Transfer the pasta salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.

For The Skillet-Roasted Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:

1. To prep the corn: Cut the corn off the cob. I used 6 ears to get about 4 ½ to 5 cups. Alternatively, you can also use canned corn or frozen corn. If using frozen, you do not need to thaw it out.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the corn, and stirring frequently, sauté for 5-7 minutes until it starts to get (lightly) charred. If you are using frozen corn, you might need to cook a few minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. While the corn is cooling, cook the pasta following the instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain and transfer it to the bowl with the sauteed corn.
4. To make the Chili Lime Dressing: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
5. To assemble the Mexican Corn Pasta Salad: Pour the chili-lime dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad. 
6. Transfer the pasta salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.

Keywords: Mexican Corn Pasta Salad, Mexican Pasta Salad with Corn, Street Corn Pasta Salad, Roasted Corn Pasta Salad

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @foolproofliving on Instagram and hashtag it #foolproofeats

MEXICAN STREET CORN PASTA SALAD CALORIES

This roasted corn salad only has 312 calories! Not too bad for a pasta salad side dish that will make you feel full and satisfied!

MEXICAN PASTA SALAD VARIATIONS

One of the reasons why I love this corn pasta salad is because it is so versatile. Here are a few ways you can change it up:

1. Mexican Tuna Pasta Salad – add 2 (6 oz) cans packed Tuna (in oil or water, whatever your preference), slightly drained, when tossing with the remaining ingredients
2. Mexican Pasta Salad with Ham or Bacon – add 4 oz thick-cut, cubed deli ham or 8 slices smokey, cooked bacon that has been broken up into bits
3. Mexican Pasta Salad with Salsa – toss in a ½ cup of your favorite salsa when adding the remaining ingredients
4. Mexican Black Bean Corn Pasta with Avocado – add 1 (15 oz) can drained and rinsed black beans with 2 cubed avocados when you add the remaining ingredients

A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST MEXICAN STREET CORN PASTA SALAD

• Making this Mexican pasta salad recipe at the last minute? It tastes terrific served either warm or cold, so no need to worry if it is still warm come party time.
  
  PRO TIP: If you toss the dressing with the corn and pasta while they are still slightly warm, they will better absorb the tangy, spicy flavors of the dressing!
• Want to make this fresh corn pasta salad a few days beforehand? Simply assemble the pasta salad 1-2 days in advance and make a double recipe of the chili-lime dressing, but do not garnish with the cotija cheese or cilantro. On the day you are going to serve, give it another gentle toss, and, if needed, add a few more tablespoons of the dressing since the pasta will have absorbed some of it over time. Finish with the garnishes and save the remaining dressing for your weekday salads.
• Looking for leftovers? This roasted corn pasta salad will keep covered, in the fridge, for 4-5 days. Sadly, I would not recommend freezing this pasta salad, however, as it becomes soggy and gummy over time. Enjoy it best throughout the week as a flavorful Mexican corn side dish.

Source>>>