A Quick Story Before We Start

Alright, so you know how every family has that one dish that just mysteriously disappears at every get-together? For us, it's this Easy Street Corn Pasta Salad. The first time I made it, I figured I'd have leftovers to feed a small (and honestly, very hungry) army. Nope. Vanished like socks in a dryer. My sister-in-law still brings up how I "accidentally" forgot to warn her that there was a little kick—though, truthfully, she was just mad she didn't get seconds. Anyway, if you need a fast pasta salad that tastes like you actually tried (even if you, erm, barely did), this is your ticket.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This

I make this when I get a corn craving in the dead of winter, because frozen corn totally works (don't tell anyone). My family goes bonkers for it because, well, pasta, cheese, corn, and a zippy dressing—it hits all the right notes. And honestly, when you've had one too many mayo-drenched salads at summer BBQs, this one just feels different; it's lighter, zingier, and the lime just smacks you in the best way. Plus, I can whip this up in about half an episode of a bad sitcom. (The key: multitask between the boil and the chop!)

What You’ll Need (But, Feel Free to Wing It)

Pasta – I usually grab rotini or fusilli, but honestly, penne works. (One time I used leftover spaghetti, and the texture was weird, but nobody cared.)
Sweet corn, about 2 cups (frozen, fresh, or canned—you do you. Grilled is fab, but microwaved is totally fine. I sometimes use that roasted bagged kind when I want extra flavor.)
Cotija cheese, crumbled (Or feta if that's what you have. Or skip cheese altogether if someone snubs dairy—I've tried goat cheese once but, eh, I wouldn't recommend it.)
Red onion, half, finely chopped (Or green onions for a milder thing. My grandmother insists on white onion, but I can't taste the difference, can you?)
Fresh cilantro, a generous handful, chopped (Parsley if cilantro tastes like soap to you—no judgment, my cousin’s the same.)
Cherry tomatoes, a punnet or so, halved (Regular tomatoes chopped up, or skip 'em if you’re anti-tomato.)
Jalapeño, 1-2, seeded and diced (Or leave it out, but if you like a gentle hum, toss in the seeds!)
For the dressing:

About ⅓ cup mayo (Honestly, I use light mayo or even Greek yogurt sometimes.)
2 tablespoons sour cream
Juice of two limes (Stick to one if you’re not a tart-lover.)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine, but smoked is always more fun)
½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt, to taste

Let’s Throw This Together

First off, cook your pasta. Big pot, salty water, boil till just-tender (I usually scoop out a piece and, yes, blow on it desperately because I’m impatient). Drain it, rinse under cool water real quick. Set aside.
Meanwhile, warm a big-ish skillet over medium heat. Toss in the corn. No oil needed if using frozen. Let those kernels get a bit blistery—they might crackle and pop. This is where I usually sneak a few; nobody notices.
In a giant bowl (or honestly, sometimes my old salad spinner bowl because it's huge), combine the cooled pasta, charred corn, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño. Give it all a toss.
Time for the dressing: in a jar or bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, lime juice, paprika, chili powder, and some salt. Taste it—maybe add more lime or salt if you want. (Actually, I find it needs more lime about half the time…)
Pour dressing over your salad stuff. Toss until everything’s coated. Now’s when it will look, well, a bit odd, like it’s too much dressing. Trust me, after a rest it soaks in just right.
Scatter crumbled cotija over everything. Sometimes, if I'm feeling wild, I add a drizzle of hot sauce.
Chill it for at least 30 minutes if you can stand the wait—flavors meld, yada yada. But not a dealbreaker if you dig in straight away.

A Few Things I've Learned (Sometimes The Hard Way)

Don’t overcook the pasta. Learned that the sloppy way—once it was basically mashed potatoes. Cook it till just-tender, and rinse to stop the cooking. (I know, some say don’t rinse, but the dressing sticks fine.)
If you go heavy with the jalapeños, taste before adding more. My brother swears I tried to set his mouth on fire once, but I just grabbed the wrong peppers at the store—oops.
Dressing can be made ahead but keep it separate from the salad unless you like your noodles a bit soggy—but I actually don’t mind it that way, particularly for next-day lunches.

If You Feel Like Experimenting…

Once, I tossed in diced avocado at the end; it was nice, but the leftovers got a tad mushy. Maybe do that if you know it'll vanish quickly (it usually does).
Tried quick-pickled onions once. Actually, it works better if you soak them for just five minutes in lime while prepping everything else; adds zing without overdoing it.
One disaster: I tried barbecue sauce instead of lime in the dressing once—don’t do it, unless you’re a real BBQ sauce junkie.

What If You Don’t Have All the Right Tools?

Sure, a big skillet is great for charring corn, but you can just use a hot saucepan. Or your oven’s broiler on a tray. And if you don’t have a salad bowl big enough, use a clean pot (done that more times than I’ll admit). Colander is handy, but worst case, just tip the pot and (carefully!) drain out the water, holding the pasta back with a slotted spoon. Doesn’t have to be fancy.

How to Store It (Or, Theoretically…)

Pop leftovers (if you’re lucky to have them!) in an airtight container in the fridge. Probably fine for up to three days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! I think it tastes better the second day, but the pasta goes softer. Up to you whether that’s a good thing.

How Do You Serve It? Here's What I Do

This shines at BBQs, alongside burgers or grilled chicken, but honestly, it's dinner all on its own with tortilla chips on the side. My sister actually likes to wrap it up in a tortilla, and my nephew will not eat it unless there’s extra cheese on top (and now I always oblige—less bickering that way). Sometimes I serve it in little mason jars for picnics. Not traditional, but very Instagrammable.

The Stuff I Wished I’d Known Earlier (Pro Tips)

I once tried rushing chilling, thinking "Eh, what's half an hour?" Big mistake—the flavors hadn't come together, it tasted off-balance. Actually, it works better if you let it chill a bit (even 15min is a start).
If you use Greek yogurt instead of mayo/sour cream, add a tiny bit of olive oil for a smoother texture or it gets too thick for tossing.
On second thought, don’t skip the lime. I did once, and it just wasn’t the same—too flat.

Little Q&A—Because People Actually Ask Me These Things

Can I make this vegan? Sure can—just use vegan mayo, skip the cheese, maybe add nutritional yeast if you’re into that thing (I tried once, tasted… different, but not bad!)
Is it spicy? Only if you want it to be! The jalapeño seeds are where the fire’s at. I leave half in; my mum won’t touch it if I overdo the spice, so I’ve learned my lesson.
Can I prep it ahead? Yep. Store the dressing separate if you want to keep pasta from soaking it all up, but sometimes I just mix it all the night before—it’s extra zesty the next day (I actually prefer it!)
What’s the best pasta for this? Whatever’s sitting in your pantry, mate. I grab rotini or fusilli, but seriously, penne, bowties, or even macaroni—no stress. Only time it was odd was with spaghetti, but even then it tasted good—just a bit slurpy-looking.
Wait, what if I hate cilantro? No worries; just go with parsley, or even chives. Life’s too short to eat herbs you don’t love.

And now that I think about it, one time while prepping this salad, I got distracted watching a rerun of Bake Off, burned the corn a little (ok, a lot), but somehow it tasted even better. So, embrace the happy accidents; sometimes they’re tastier than perfection.

Easy Street Corn Pasta Salad – A Summer BBQ Hit Every Time

A Quick Story Before We Start

Why I Keep Coming Back to This

What You’ll Need (But, Feel Free to Wing It)

Let’s Throw This Together

A Few Things I've Learned (Sometimes The Hard Way)

If You Feel Like Experimenting…

What If You Don’t Have All the Right Tools?

How to Store It (Or, Theoretically…)

How Do You Serve It? Here's What I Do

The Stuff I Wished I’d Known Earlier (Pro Tips)

Little Q&A—Because People Actually Ask Me These Things

Easy Street Corn Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

Nutrition Disclaimers

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