It's officially pasta salad season! Impress at your next summer BBQ by bringing all the delicious flavors of elotes with this tasty Street Corn Pasta Salad.
What is street corn?
Traditional Mexican street corn is a fun Mexican snack. Also known as elote, it is a grilled corn dish covered with a mixture of crema, lime, cotija cheese, and seasoning. They are absolutely delicious, and you'll love these incredible flavors all combined in a refreshing pasta salad.
Street Corn Pasta Salad
This easy Mexican street corn pasta salad is covered with a creamy-chili lime dressing and has all the flavors of street corn. This is the perfect summer dish for your next cookout.
Bring it as a side dish or make it a complete meal by adding some extra protein on top. Grilled chicken would be perfection!
This is an easy recipe. With a creamy homemade sauce, cooked pasta, and simple ingredients, this is bound to be one of your next favorites!
Street corn pasta salad ingredients
Pick up these ingredients next time your'e at the grocery store to make the best pasta salad and creamy dressing!
Salad
- pasta
- corn
- bell peppers
- avocado
- red onion
- cilantro
- green onions
- cotija cheese
Dressing ingredients
- mayo
- greek yogurt
- chili powder
- paprika
- ground cumin
- lime
- Salt and pepper
How to make street corn pasta salad
Make your elote pasta salad by following these simple instructions:
- Wash, chop, and prepare all ingredients.
- Make the pasta according to package instructions in a pot of salted water.
- In a small bowl, mix together all sauce ingredient. Stir well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all pasta salad ingredients.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta salad, mix well.
- Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Street corn pasta salad substitution ideas
Check out these substitutions for this yummy street corn pasta salad:
- Pasta: Make sure you're choosing the right type of pasta. Bowtie pasta works well for holding the flavor. Rotini, elbow and shells work well too! If needed, use gluten-free pasta.
- Mayo: Try an avocado oil mayo, or use a double portion of Greek yogurt to replace the mayo altogether.
- Add protein: Make this dish a complete meal by adding some protein! A couple easy suggestions I have would be black beans, or some grilled or rotisserie chicken breast.
- Add some spice: If you're looking for some more spice, add ¼ or ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
How long does street corn pasta salad last in the fridge?
This pasta salad recipe will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Make sure you use an airtight container when storing it.
How to meal prep this recipe
To meal prep this recipe, simply make according to the instructions. Double the recipe if needed. Add chicken if you're using this for a complete meal.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. You could store all the pasta together, or split into individual servings right away. When ready to eat, serve cold or at room temperature.
What goes well with street corn pasta salad
There are a couple of different ways to serve this pasta salad. It would be the perfect side dish to bring along to your next tailgate, BBQ, or summer cookout.
Additionally, it would be amazing as a main dish. You could achieve this by adding in some protein. My favorite way to do this is by cooking some chicken breast, dicing or shredding it and putting it on top of the pasta salad! Viola! A complete meal.
How healthy is street corn pasta salad?
Healthy is a subjective term, and means different things for each person. It all depends on your body, your goals, and what your exercise routine looks like. I love breaking down recipes and looking at individual ingredients to see how they support your body and its functions.
This Mexican street corn salad has bell peppers! Bell peppers are a fabulous source of Vitamin C. In addition, the dressing base consists of Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has tons of protein, which helps your body build muscle, and stay more full for longer.
Should street corn pasta salad be served hot or cold?
Pasta salad is typically served cold, or at room temperature. That is what I recommend for this recipe as well!
What is the secret to a good pasta salad?
There are a few "secrets" to make a great pasta salad. Firstly, pay attention to the type of pasta you choose. Certain shapes hold the dressing so much better, which is a great way to make sure the taste and flavors are reaching your mouth with every single bite. Elbows, bowties, shells,and rotini all work very well.
Secondly, dress the salad while the pasta is still hot! You may be tempted to cool down your pasta first but I promise the warm pasta soaks up all that delicious flavor and holds it so well.
Other delicious pasta salad ideas
I love pasta salad, and if you do too, there are plenty of other recipes to try here at Jordo's World:
Street Corn Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta about 2 cups
- 10 oz corn
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ½ red onion diced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ⅓ cup green onions chopped
- ⅓ cup cotija cheese
Dressing
- ¼ cup mayo
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 lime juiced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash, chop, and prepare all ingredients.
- In a small bowl, mix together all sauce ingredient. Stir well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all pasta salad ingredients.
- Pour the sauce over the pasts salad, mix well.
- Store in fridge until ready to serve.
Marisa Castorena says
I made this for meal prep this week. I added chicken to make it a complete meal. It is so good! Easy and fresh!
Jordan Smith says
I love adding chicken to mine to make it a meal as well! It's so perfect during the summer. Enjoy!