Description
A creamy and zesty pasta salad, inspired by the flavors of Mexican street corn, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside to cool.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is slightly charred. Remove from heat and allow the corn to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture until it’s well blended.
- Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, cotija cheese, red onion, and cilantro to the bowl. Toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Taste the pasta salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Notes
- This salad can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours for better flavor melding.
- Feel free to customize the salad by adding other ingredients like avocado or jalapeños for extra kick.
- Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version of the salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg