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Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad

Creamy street corn pasta salad with charred corn, jalapeños, and cotija cheese tossed in a tangy chili-lime dressing. This Mexican-American pasta salad is served chilled for a creamy, scoopable texture and bold elote-inspired flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb pasta shells or rotini
Street corn and vegetables
  • 4 corn kernels, charred Char until lightly blackened for elote flavor.
  • 2 jalapeños, diced Dice finely for even heat.
  • 0.25 cup red onion, diced
Creamy dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.1 salt and pepper to taste Season gradually to preference.
Cheese and herbs
  • 1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled Use fresh cotija for best salty, tangy flavor.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Cook the pasta shells or rotini according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan to cool briefly while you char the corn.
Char the corn
  1. Heat a hot cast iron skillet over high heat and char the corn kernels until lightly blackened, then set aside to cool.
Make the creamy spicy dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, charred corn kernels, diced jalapeños, and diced red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the pasta absorbs the dressing.
  4. Top with the remaining cotija cheese and chopped cilantro just before serving.

Notes

For the best street-corn flavor, fully char the corn in batches so you get browned edges rather than steaming. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best texture add a little extra cilantro right before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because mayonnaise-and-sour-cream emulsions can break. If you want a lighter option, swap half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a similar tang with less fat.