Description
A vibrant and refreshing pasta salad combining the flavors of Mexican street corn with creamy dressing and fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb pasta shells or rotini
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-5 ears fresh corn (or 3 cups frozen/canned corn)
- 2 tablespoons butter (if using frozen corn)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup cotija cheese (crumbled)
- ½ cup red onion (finely diced)
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (seeded and minced (optional))
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with olive oil. Set aside to cool.
- Grill fresh corn cobs for 10-12 minutes until charred, then cut kernels off. OR char corn kernels in a hot cast-iron skillet for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, Mexican crema, lime juice, lime zest, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and half the cotija cheese.
- Pour dressing over and toss until well coated.
- Top with remaining cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Chill before serving to enhance the flavors. Adjust spice levels according to preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 30mg