Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
A creamy, zesty pasta salad inspired by Mexican street corn (elote), featuring charred corn, cotija cheese, chili-lime dressing, and tender ditalini pasta. Perfect for summer picnics, BBQs, and casual dinners.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups ditalini pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil for coating pasta
- 3 cups corn kernels fresh, canned, or frozen
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 0.5 jalapeño minced, seeds removed if desired
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise
- 1 lime juice of about 3 tablespoons
- 1 tsp chili powder + extra for garnish
- 0.25 cup cotija cheese crumbled
- 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ditalini pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and toss with olive oil. Set aside.
- In a hot skillet, char the corn in a little oil until golden. Add garlic and jalapeño, cook for 1 more minute, then remove from heat.
- Whisk together sour cream, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, charred corn mixture, cotija, cilantro, and scallions. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes. Garnish with extra chili powder or cotija before serving.
Notes
For extra flavor, add a few dashes of hot sauce or smoked paprika. To make it vegan, use dairy-free alternatives for sour cream and cheese.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 380 kcal
Total Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 320mg
Total Carbs: 38g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 9g