Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This Mexican street corn pasta salad turns elote into a cookout-ready side with charred corn, lime, chili, and cotija. Great for potlucks, or with grilled chicken or shrimp as an easy summer dinner!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiled, Grilled
- Cuisine: American, Tex Mex
- Diet: Mediterranean Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the pasta salad
- 6 cobs corn (about 2 cups grilled corn kernels)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for the corn
- 8 ounces bowtie, cavatappi, or fusilli pasta
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- ¾ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, cumin, and kosher salt
Instructions
- Cook the corn (see Notes): Heat a grill to medium high heat (375 to 450°F). Shuck the corn, then use your hands to rub the olive oil evenly over each cob. Place the corn directly on the grill grates and cook until it begins to blacken, then turn. Cook about 12 to 15 minutes total, until blackened on all sides. (This can be done up to a few days in advance.) Cut the corn off the cob (here are my tips for How to Cut Corn off the Cob).
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it until it comes to room temperature.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and kosher salt.
- Assemble and serve: In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, grilled corn, green onions, cilantro, black beans, cheese, and dressing until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add a pinch more salt if desired. Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkle more cheese crumbles.
Notes
Don’t want to grill? Use fresh or frozen corn kernels — sauté them for a minute or two in butter in a medium skillet. It is not quite as tasty, but it works in a pinch! You can also char the kernels in a cast iron skillet over high heat for a closer match.
For vegan: Use vegan mayonnaise and substitute the cotija with a dairy free feta or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Make it a main: Add shredded chicken, grilled shrimp, or a diced avocado to turn this into a full meal.
Make ahead: The salad can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated — I would actually refrigerate the dressing separately and then add right before serving. Leftovers last up to 3 days refrigerated.
Swap the beans: Pinto beans work just as well as black beans.
Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/mexican-street-corn-pasta-salad/