Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
One of the most popular recipes on this site: Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad! Bowtie pasta, corn, fresh herbs, black beans, and a creamy chili-lime dressing make it irresistible.
Servings: 6 as a side
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Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups farfalle/bowtie pasta measured uncooked
- 3 cups frozen corn or 2 (15-ounce) cans, or 3 to 4 corns on the cob, see note 1
- 3 green onions 1/3 cup
- 1/2 bunch cilantro 1/2 cup
- 1 tablespoon jalapeño peppers finely chopped
- 6 to 8 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup Queso Fresco cheese see note 2
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1/2 cup black beans canned black beans drained and rinsed, optional
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayo full-fat, I love Hellman's/Best Foods
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce or hot sauce
- 2 limes
- Salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Pasta: Prepare 2 cups pasta according to package directions in well-salted water (or the whole salad will taste under-seasoned). I do 12 cups water to 1 tbsp salt. If using frozen corn, add it in with the pasta for the last minute of boiling. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, let cool, and allow to completely dry.
- Corn: See note 1.
- Veggie Prep: Dice green onions, dice cilantro, very finely dice jalapeño, cook and dice bacon. Crumble the cheese. Drain and rinse black beans if using. Lastly, chop the avocado into small pieces.
- Dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon lime zest and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Season to taste (I add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.) Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Salad Assembly: In a large bowl, combine the completely dry and cooled pasta, cooled corn, avocado, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, bacon, and cheese (see note 2). If you don't plan on eating this in one sitting (and soon after it's made), don't add the bacon, cheese, or avocado. Add those in separately right before enjoying. Drizzle on dressing and gently toss to coat. Enjoy salad immediately! Leftovers don't store well once dressed.
Notes
Note 1: Several options for corn preparation:
• Grill the corn until lightly charred all over: Peel back husks and remove the silk. Rub vegetable or olive oil on all sides of the corn and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on heated grill (400–450°F) and rotate every 3–4 minutes or until charred and corn is easily pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes total. (This also works on a grill pan!)
• Grab 2 cans of pre-roasted canned corn near regular canned corn in the grocery store (thoroughly drained).
• Grab regular canned corn and roast it for a few minutes on the stovetop. Heat a large, cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes or until very hot. Drain corn and place in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once in between or until browned. Avoid stirring too often as this will keep the corn from getting a good roast.
• Or, use frozen roasted corn. Add it into the boiling pasta water for the last minute of cooking time or sauté it on the stovetop.
Note 2: For a more authentic Mexican Street Corn flavor, go for Cotija cheese. It's typically near specialty cheeses in the grocery store. An easy alternative is Queso Fresco cheese, which is generally near mozzarella and refrigerated tortillas in the grocery store. Depending on the cheese used, you may want to use less than the recipe indicates. (Cotija is much saltier than Queso Fresco, so you'll want a lot less; closer to 3–4 tablespoons). Add cheese slowly to desired preference.
• Grill the corn until lightly charred all over: Peel back husks and remove the silk. Rub vegetable or olive oil on all sides of the corn and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on heated grill (400–450°F) and rotate every 3–4 minutes or until charred and corn is easily pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes total. (This also works on a grill pan!)
• Grab 2 cans of pre-roasted canned corn near regular canned corn in the grocery store (thoroughly drained).
• Grab regular canned corn and roast it for a few minutes on the stovetop. Heat a large, cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes or until very hot. Drain corn and place in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once in between or until browned. Avoid stirring too often as this will keep the corn from getting a good roast.
• Or, use frozen roasted corn. Add it into the boiling pasta water for the last minute of cooking time or sauté it on the stovetop.
Note 2: For a more authentic Mexican Street Corn flavor, go for Cotija cheese. It's typically near specialty cheeses in the grocery store. An easy alternative is Queso Fresco cheese, which is generally near mozzarella and refrigerated tortillas in the grocery store. Depending on the cheese used, you may want to use less than the recipe indicates. (Cotija is much saltier than Queso Fresco, so you'll want a lot less; closer to 3–4 tablespoons). Add cheese slowly to desired preference.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 730mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 692IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg