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Want to give your pasta routine a kick? This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad combines two fantastic favorites - the smooth taste of elote (that mouthwatering Mexican street corn) with a traditional pasta salad. Each mouthful delivers charred corn, tangy lime, silky cheese, and just enough spice. It's exactly what you need for your upcoming barbecue or when you're in the mood for something both satisfying and bold!
What Makes This Salad Special
Need a dish that'll have folks at the picnic begging for your secret? This pasta creation takes everything wonderful about Mexican street corn - that winning mix of juicy corn, zingy lime, smooth sauce, and chili heat - and transforms it into a bowl everyone will love. And you can tweak it however you want: gentle or fiery, super creamy or lighter, it's completely your call!
Ingredients List
- Pasta: 1 pound trottole or rotini - their twists grab all the sauce!
- Corn: 4 ears, blackened until smoky and caramelized
- Red Onion: 1/2 cup chopped - brings tang and texture
- Jalapeño: 1-2 peppers, cleaned and minced (add extra for heat lovers!)
- Cheeses: 1 cup each grated cheddar and broken Cotija
- Mayo + Sour Cream: 1/2 cup each for that smooth dressing
- Lime Juice: From 2 juicy limes - don't use the packaged stuff
- Tajín: 2 teaspoons, with extra for dusting
- Cilantro: Large bunch, freshly snipped
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Boil Your Pasta
- Start your pasta in heavily salted water until tender but firm. Drain and quickly cool it with cold water - this prevents overcooking and mushiness.
- Handle The Corn
- For fresh corn, blacken it on your grill or under the broiler until spotted. Slice those kernels off - watch out, they tend to scatter!
- Cut Everything Up
- While pasta cools down, chop your onion and jalapeños. Quick tip: scoop out the seeds and ribs from jalapeños if you want milder flavor.
- Create Your Dressing
- Mix mayo, sour cream, lime juice, and Tajín together. Take a sample - now's when you can tweak the flavor balance!
- Mix Everything Together
- Combine your cold pasta with corn, veggies, and most of your cheese. Pour your creamy mixture over it all and stir thoroughly.
- Add Final Garnishes
- Scatter remaining cheese, a dash of Tajín, and lots of cilantro on top. Let everything mingle in the fridge for at least an hour - if you can resist digging in!
The Flavor Inspiration
Have you tried elote from a food cart? That initial taste of grilled corn covered in creamy sauce, dusted with cheese and chili powder - it sticks with you! This pasta creation captures those incredible flavors in a way that's great for sharing (though you might want it all for yourself).
Crowd-Pleasing Dish
Bring this to your next cookout and watch it vanish! It works so well because you can fix it beforehand - actually, it tastes even better after sitting awhile. Plus, it's filling enough to work as a main dish or a standout side.
Choosing The Right Pasta
It's all about the shape! You need pasta with plenty of ridges and curves to catch that amazing sauce. Trottole works perfectly, but rotini or fusilli do the job too. Just stay away from flat shapes - we want every bite loaded with flavor!
Customization Ideas
Don't be afraid to switch things up! Throw in some black beans for more substance, swap jalapeños for gentler green chiles, or mix in a handful of cherry tomatoes for brightness. The core recipe is so tasty, you really can't mess it up.
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Storage Tips
This salad stays tasty in your fridge for around three days - assuming it doesn't get gobbled up first! When making it ahead, hold back some cheese and cilantro to add right before you serve. A quick toss and maybe another squeeze of lime will refresh the whole dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Making it early?
Day before works great. Keeps good cold. Stir before serve. Fresh lime helps. Might need more sauce.
- → Need more spice?
More peppers work. Hot sauce good too. Spice on side. Start slow though. Can't take heat out.
- → No special cheese?
Feta works fine. Bit different taste. Still gets salty. Fresh works best. Any crumbly kind.
- → Want no wheat stuff?
Special pasta works. Cook time might change. Check box good. Still tastes right. Watch it don't mush.
- → Serve it warm maybe?
Cold's more fresh. Warm works too. Your choice really. Fresh stuff last. Cheese melts warm.
- → Getting too dry?
Save pasta water. More sauce works. Keep it covered. Stir before serve. Easy fix quick.
- → Taking it places?
Keep it cold packed. Bring fresh tops. Take extra sauce. Worth ice pack. Maybe backup dish.
- → Need it faster?
Buy ready corn. Quick cook pasta. Have stuff chopped. One bowl works. Still needs chill.
- → Making big batch?
Double works fine. Need more space. Watch corn amount. Keep stuff cold. Makes good amount.
- → Want more kick?
More lime helps. Fresh peppers good. Try hot spice. Even garlic works. Start slow though.
- → Corn not brown?
Pan needs hotter. Give more time. Don't stir lots. Watch it close. Worth good char.
- → Pasta too soft?
Cook less time. Cool quick after. Salt water good. Al dente best. Fresh pasta helps.
Conclusion
Love this? Try corn soup next. Or make spicy corn pizza. Both use same good mix.