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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

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A vibrant and gluten-free pasta salad inspired by traditional Mexican street corn, featuring sweet corn, zesty lime, and creamy cotija cheese.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb pasta shells or rotini
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4-5 ears fresh corn (or 3 cups frozen/canned corn)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (if using frozen corn)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup cotija cheese (crumbled)
  • ½ cup red onion (finely diced)
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 1 jalapeño (seeded and minced (optional))

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
  2. Cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes).
  3. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with olive oil. Set aside to cool.
  4. Grill fresh corn cobs for 10-12 minutes until charred, then cut kernels off or char corn kernels in a hot cast-iron skillet for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
  5. Whisk together mayonnaise, Mexican crema, lime juice, lime zest, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Mix in a large bowl the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and half the cotija cheese.
  7. Pour dressing over and toss until well coated.
  8. Top with remaining cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free and check for hidden gluten. This salad tastes better after sitting for a few hours to enhance flavors.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.glutenfreez.com/mexican-street-corn-pasta-salad/