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Close-up overhead view of a dark textured bowl heaped with creamy Mexican street corn pasta salad featuring rotini pasta coated in a tangy chili-lime cream dressing, mixed with sweet yellow corn kernels, diced red onion, and chunky avocado pieces, generously topped with chopped fresh cilantro and cracked black pepper and red chili flakes.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Cavatappi or rotini pasta tossed in a creamy chili-lime dressing with charred corn kernels, diced avocado, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. Charring the corn in a dry cast iron skillet is the step that gives this salad its genuine street corn flavor. Ready in about 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 340 g cavatappi, rotini, or short ridged pasta (12 oz) Cook 1 minute past al dente; ridged shapes hold the creamy dressing in curves and cavities
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels Charred in a dry cast iron skillet until dark spots appear on 40-50 percent of kernels
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced into 1 cm cubes Added last with only 1-2 gentle folds so cubes stay intact and visible throughout the bowl
  • ½ cup red onion, finely diced Soak in cold water for 5 minutes first if a milder onion flavor is preferred
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved Add juicy acidity that prevents the salad from tasting purely rich and creamy
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (divided) Half folded into salad, half reserved for topping just before serving
  • ⅓ cup cotija cheese, crumbled The defining flavor of street corn; crumbled rather than grated so pieces are visible throughout
  • ½ cup mayonnaise Base of the creamy dressing; use full-fat for the richest coating on the pasta
  • ¼ cup sour cream Lightens the dressing and adds tang that prevents the mayo from tasting too rich
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice Always fresh-squeezed; brightens the entire dressing and balances the fat
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder The dark spice specks visible throughout the dressing in the image; adds warmth not heat
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika Deepens color and reinforces the charred corn smokiness in the dressing
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder Savory depth without raw garlic that would sharpen as the salad chills
  • salt and black pepper to taste Add cautiously since cotija is quite salty; adjust after tasting the fully dressed salad

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pasta Pot Generously salted water for cooking the pasta correctly
  • 1 Colander For draining and rinsing the pasta under cold water
  • 1 cast iron skillet or heavy pan Dry, no oil; must be very hot before corn goes in for proper char
  • 1 Large mixing bowl For making the dressing and tossing the full salad
  • 1 Whisk For combining the dressing ingredients until completely smooth
  • 1 set 2 large spoons or kitchen tongs For tossing the pasta and folding in the vegetables without crushing
  • 1 each Sharp knife and cutting board For dicing the avocado, onion, and halving the tomatoes

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a full boil, add the pasta, and cook until 1 minute past al dente; drain in a colander, rinse briefly under cold running water to stop cooking, then toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent clumping while the other components are prepared.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes with no oil until very hot, add the corn kernels in a single flat layer, and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until dark charred spots appear on roughly half the kernels; stir once, cook 1 more minute, then remove from heat.
  3. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk until completely smooth and uniformly seasoned; taste and adjust with more lime, chili powder, or salt before adding any other ingredient.
  4. Add the cooled, drained pasta to the dressing bowl and toss with two large spoons lifting and folding from the bottom upward until every piece of pasta is evenly coated in the creamy dressing with no dry spots remaining.
  5. Add the charred corn, finely diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, half the chopped cilantro, and the crumbled cotija cheese to the dressed pasta and fold together with slow lifting motions so the corn and vegetables distribute throughout the pasta without the tomatoes being crushed.
  6. Taste the dressed salad and adjust with additional salt, black pepper, or a final squeeze of lime juice; this is the last opportunity to correct the balance before the avocado is added and the salad can no longer be stirred vigorously.
  7. Add the diced avocado to the bowl last and fold through with one or two very gentle turns of a large spoon so the cubes distribute throughout the salad while remaining intact and visible as distinct green pieces, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  8. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving, taste and adjust with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice, then transfer to a serving bowl, scatter the reserved cilantro generously over the surface, finish with a generous crack of coarse black pepper, and serve immediately.

Notes

Char the corn in a dry hot skillet until dark spots appear on 40 to 50 percent of the kernels before adding to the salad. Cook the pasta 1 minute past al dente so it stays tender after absorbing the dressing. Add the avocado last with only 1 to 2 gentle folds so the cubes stay intact. Taste again after chilling and add lime juice and salt before serving since cold dulls both.