Description
This vibrant Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad combines tender rotini pasta with fire-roasted corn, creamy Cotija cheese, and a tangy, spicy dressing reminiscent of classic Mexican street corn flavors. Refreshing and zesty, it’s a perfect side dish for parties, barbecues, or a flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz rotini pasta
Corn
- 4 (10 oz) bags frozen fire-roasted corn or 3 (15 oz) cans of corn
Cheese and Herbs
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- A couple pinches cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta, fire-roasted corn, crumbled Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro evenly.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss everything gently yet thoroughly to coat all the ingredients with the flavorful dressing.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill for best taste.
Notes
- To save time, you can use canned fire-roasted corn instead of frozen.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your desired spice level.
- This salad is best served chilled, but can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours when serving outdoors.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute sour cream and mayonnaise with vegan alternatives and use a dairy-free cheese substitute or omit cheese.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
