Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

This creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad can be served as a side dish or a main course. It has a creamy street corn dressing that's tossed with pasta, corn, bacon, avocado, onions, cilantro, and jalapeño!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 237kcal

Author Whitney Wright

Ingredients

2 cups penne pasta uncooked (or similar sized pasta)
3 cups frozen corn thawed (or canned corn that has been drained and rinsed)
2 green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1 jalapeño finely chopped (remove veins and seeds if you don't want spicy)
1/2 cup bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup Queso fresco cheese crumbled
1 avocado diced
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream full fat or light is fine
3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling add 1 tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water then add the 2 cups of uncooked noodles (any noodle variety is fine, just use a more medium size noodle, medium sheets, farfalle, penne etc).
While the noodles are cooking prep the remaining ingredients. Slice the onions, chop the cilantro, jalapeño, bacon, and avocado. Set aside.
Make the dressing. In a medium bowl whisk the mayo, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, lime zest, and ground cumin.
Once the noodles are finished cooking drain the water. Place the noodles in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl. At this point I like to take a paper towel and do my best to blot some of the water off of the noodles. The drier the noodle, the better the dressing will stick to it.
To the large bowl add the 3 cups of thawed corn, 2 green onions, ½ cup cilantro, 1 jalapeño, ½ cup of bacon, ½ cup queso fresco cheese, and diced avocado. Gently toss to combine.
Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Makes enough for about 12 side servings or 6-8 main course.

If you plan to serve this later, don't add the avocado. Add avocado right before serving.

Nutrition