Street Corn Pasta Salad
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Summer is a great time for pasta salads; this has become a favorite with the Smith Family. A Tex-Mex play on two amazing sides… Mexican Street Corn and Pasta Salad! This recipe brings me back to some great memories of my childhood. The recipe is simple and quick to make. I know you’re gonna love it!
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QUICK OVERVIEW
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS
ORZO
Orzo, or risoni, is a pasta shaped like a large grain of rice. I chose this pasta specifically for this reason. I wanted a pasta that would let the corn shine and dressing shine. And I loved that it looks like rice.
SWEET CORN
Specifically, for this street corn pasta salad recipe, I chose to use frozen mainly because then you can make this salad any time! As always, I want this to be as easy as possible! So use fresh corn or canned!
JALAPEÑO
The jalapeño pepper obviously adds heat, but it also adds a fresh, crisp, green bell pepper taste. Of course, if the heat is too much, omit it. Want more heat? Use a habanero pepper.
CILANTRO
Cilantro adds a freshness and specific flavor to the salad. I know for some this flavor gives off a soap taste, if that’s you, use parsley.
MAYONNAISE
This is the base of the dressing, but also a key ingredient in elote. It’s slathered with either mayo or crema. So if you decide you don’t want to use mayo, crema and a tablespoon of olive oil would also work for this.
LIME JUICE
Not only is this another key ingredient in elote, but the lime juice adds brightness to this dish.
GRAPE TOMATOES
The grape tomatoes add color, sweetness, and earthiness to the dish.
CHIPOTLE POWDER
The chipotle powder gives the street corn pasta salad heat and a smoky-sweet flavor.
CHILI POWDER
Chili powder offers an aromatic and savory taste. It’s commonly used in elote (sprinkles on top of the mayo) and I wanted it present in this salad to add those notes.
SMOKED PAPRIKA
Smoked paprika offers additional smoky, sweet, and peppery flavor with a subtle earthiness that I love and really wanted to add to the dressing in this street corn salad.
GROUND CUMIN
The ground cumin adds warmth, a familiarity specific to Tex-Mex foods. I wanted to add that warmness to this dressing.
OREGANO
If you can find it, Mexican Oregano is preferred. It gives a brighter with floral and citrus notes. But if you can not find Mexican Oregano, you can use typical dried oregano and it will work in this recipe.
QUESO FRESCO
Queso Fresco is a soft, moist, fresh cheese with a salty and slightly tangy flavor. I chose this over traditional cotija cheese because I love the softer larger chunks and the slight saltiness it adds.
MAKING YOUR PASTA SALAD
Cook the pasta according to the packet directions until al dente. Drain. Set aside to cool. ( I run a little cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking and help prevent it from sticking.)
Sauté the corn: Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook the corn for about 7 minutes until you see some golden brown spots.
JENN’S TIP
Be careful when cooking the corn. the heat does cause the corn to pop, much like popcorn.
Make the dressing: in a medium-sized mixing bowl: mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chili and chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, about 8oz (or about ¾) of the Queso Fresco, half of the tomatoes, and half of the cilantro (or parsley) until combined
Add the corn and pasta. Mix until coated.
SUBSTITUTIONS/SUGGESTIONS
Add grilled chicken to this recipe to make this the perfect dinner for any night!
COOKING WITH KIDS
DISCLOSURE: Please keep in mind that the following tips are general and are meant to be suggestive. I personally use these strategies with my own kids, who are all unique even within my own family of five. Therefore, please regard these as suggestions or ideas. If you feel that your child requires more or less assistance, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your child best.
*This one involves some cooking so unless you’re comfortable with them at a stove, here are a few things all kids can help with:
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Top with the remaining cheese, cilantro, and tomatoes, and ENJOY!
STORAGE DETAILS
This pasta salad will last up to 4 days stored in a food-safe container or silicone bag in the fridge.
I love eating this Street Corn Pasta Salad by itself and with tacos or my Lemon Chicken Taco Dinner!
MORE RECIPES YOU CAN’T MISS!
Street Corn Pasta Salad
This quick Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with delicious corn, queso fresco, and a deliciously smokey, and refreshing dressing. It’s quick and easy to throw together and is made up of a combination of both pantry and fresh ingredients, most of which you probably already have, and the ones you don’t are easy to find at any grocery store!
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 3 [32 oz] servings 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry orzo (they usually come in 16oz boxes, so half a box if that’s the case)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 small jalapeño (seeded and minced(optional))
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (See Notes 1 for substitutions)
- 1 garlic clove (grated)
- 2/3 cup American Mayonnaise
- 1/2 Tablespoon Avocado Oil (See Notes 2 for substitutions)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (maybe more to taste)
- 3 oz cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or fresh)
- 10 oz queso fresco (Broken into crumbles/chunks)
- sea salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente in salted water: Drain. Set aside to cool (I run a little cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking and help prevent it from sticking).
- Sauté the corn: Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook the corn for about 7 minutes, or until you see some golden brown spots.
- Make the dressing: In a medium-sized mixing bowl: mix the mayonnaise, avocado oil, lime juice, chipotle and regular chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, about 8oz/3/4 of the Queso Fresco, half of the tomatoes, and half of the cilantro (or parsley) until combined
- Add the corn and pasta. Mix until coated.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Top with the remaining cheese, cilantro, and tomatoes, and ENJOY!
Equipment
All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel 3 Quart Sauce Pan
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Mora Ceramics Small Mixing Bowls Set of 2 – 2.5 & 1.6 Qt (Vanilla White)
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Substitutions:
- Parsley can be used instead of cilantro OR it can be omitted completely
- Vegetable oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil are all good options.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Cook the pasta just until al dente. Nothing ruins any pasta salad quicker than mushy, overcooked pasta. I recommend cooking the pasta for 1 minute less than the lowest recommended cooking time on the package. For example: if the package recommends 9-11 minutes, cook it for 8 minutes, then pull it off the heat and strain. Especially since this will be sitting for a bit of cooling.
If sweet corn is in season where you are, you can definitely (and quite honestly I would) use grilled corn on the cob instead of frozen corn in a pan! Husk and clean your corn, then grill the cobs to lightly char the kernels. It’ll add an entirely new dimension to your salad!
The dressing in this pasta salad is light, and might not be “creamy” by the time you eat it if you let it sit. It personally doesn’t bother me, but if you find you need to, add a couple of tablespoons of mayo and a squeeze of lime to add a little “creaminess” to it. You might also need to add some salt, so check that too.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: stove-top
- Cuisine: American, Mexican-American
Photo, Prop Styling, and Food Styling by Jenn Smith © 2023 Always Jenn Smith; Jenn Smith, LLC
