Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable)

Tender pasta and charred corn combine with lime and chili for a vibrant, creamy summer side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3–4 ears)
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

06 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/4 cup sour cream
08 - 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
09 - Juice of 2 limes
10 - 1 tsp chili powder
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
13 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
14 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

→ Finishing

15 - 1/4 cup cotija cheese, for topping
16 - Extra cilantro, for garnish
17 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and cool.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred (5–7 minutes). Remove and cool.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and half the cotija cheese to the dressing. Toss to coat evenly.
05 - Adjust seasoning to taste and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to enhance flavor.
06 - Sprinkle remaining cotija cheese and extra cilantro on top. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer in a bowl, bright and smoky and a little indulgent without feeling heavy.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge.
  • The charred corn gives it that street cart magic without needing a grill.
  • Its endlessly adaptable, so you can dial the heat up or down depending on who youre feeding.
02 -
  • Dont skip charring the corn, thats where all the smoky depth comes from and it only takes a few minutes.
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water after draining or the residual heat will make the dressing watery and sad.
  • Let it chill before serving, this salad needs time for the flavors to marry and mellow out.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet for charring the corn, it gets hotter and gives you better color faster.
  • If cotija is hard to find, crumbled feta works great and adds a similar salty creaminess.
  • Taste before you chill, cold dulls flavors a bit so season it boldly while its still room temp.
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