Description
A creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy pasta salad inspired by Mexican street corn. It’s the perfect dish for BBQs and gatherings, featuring sweet corn, spicy mayo, fresh cilantro, and optional cotija cheese.
Ingredients
8 oz pasta (such as rotini or bowtie)
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime zest (optional)
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. Once done, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool it down. Set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn to the skillet and sauté it for 5-7 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned and slightly charred. This gives the corn a deeper flavor. Once done, remove it from heat and let it cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is well combined and the dressing is smooth.
- Add the cooled pasta, sautéed corn, and chopped cilantro to the bowl with the dressing. Toss everything together until the pasta and corn are evenly coated.
- If you like, sprinkle with cotija cheese and lime zest just before serving for extra flavor.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Notes
If using frozen corn, thaw it and drain any excess water before cooking it in the skillet.
For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
To make it vegan, swap out mayonnaise and sour cream for plant-based alternatives and omit or replace cotija cheese with vegan cheese.
The salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
