Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is delicious comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes! The pasta is mixed with fresh corn, cilantro, bell peppers, lime juice, and Cotija cheese. The best homemade creamy dressing combines savory and tangy flavors of mayo, Greek yogurt, lime juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. You can grill the corn or cook it on the stovetop. It's a perfect Summer pasta salad for potlucks, barbecues, picnics, and cookouts!
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword mexican street corn pasta salad, mexican street corn salad
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 4people
Calories 471kcal
Author Julia
Ingredients
Ingredients you need to cook
8ozfusilli spiral pasta or use rotini, farfalle (bow-tie), penne, or rigatoni
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook pasta al dente according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
When the pasta is done, drain.
Cook corn
You can either grill the corn on the cob or boil it in the pot of water on the stovetop. Or, simply use canned corn kernels.
How to grill it. Remove the husks and the silks from corn on the cob. Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush corn with olive oil, salt, and pepper all over. Grill until lightly charred for about 10 or 15 minutes. Rotate the corn frequently while grilling. Let it cool. Once cooled off, slice the corn kernels off the cob with the knife.
How to boil it. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Remove the husks and the silks from corn on the cob. Boil the corn for about 5 or 10 minutes until cooked. Remove it from the pot and let it cool. Once cooled off, slice the corn kernels off the cob with the knife.
Make the salad dressing
Combine all salad dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Whisk well with a fork.
Note: use cayenne pepper to taste and use sparingly as it adds heat fast. Skip it if you don't like things too spicy.
Assembly
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked and drained pasta, cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper, drained black beans, grated Cotija cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro. Mix.
Add salad dressing and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
When serving, top with chopped green onions and sprinkle with chili powder. You can also sprinkle the salad with extra cheese if you like.