Mexican street corn pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta tossed with charred corn, lime zest, and a mix of spices for a fresh side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
03 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

07 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise (approx. 90 g)
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream (approx. 90 g)
09 - ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (approx. 60 g) or feta as substitute
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 lime, zested and juiced
12 - 1 tsp chili powder
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground cumin
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - Extra cotija cheese
17 - Additional cilantro
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add corn and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly charred. Remove and let cool.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions to the dressing. Toss well to coat evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as desired.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with extra cotija, cilantro, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lime-sour cream dressing strikes that perfect balance between creamy and bright, with none of that heavy mayo-only feeling.
  • You can make it hours ahead and it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors settle in.
  • It's genuinely impressive to bring to a potluck without feeling like you spent all day cooking.
02 -
  • Underseason slightly when you make it, because flavors become more concentrated as it sits and the salad pulls more seasoning from the cheese and lime.
  • If you use canned corn, drain it very well or it'll release water into your salad and make everything watery and disappointing.
  • Don't make this more than a day ahead because the cilantro starts to lose its brightness and the pasta begins to absorb too much dressing.
03 -
  • Keep the lime zest separate and sprinkle it over top just before serving instead of mixing it into the dressing, so you get those little bursts of bright citrus flavor with every bite.
  • If you're cooking for people with different spice tolerances, make the dressing with just cumin and smoked paprika, then let people add their own chili powder and hot sauce to their portion.
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