So, Street Corn Pasta Salad? Here’s How I Ended Up Making It

I can’t remember who first suggested smushing together street corn and pasta salad, but hats off to whoever did! The first time I made this, my cousin Julia had brought way too many ears of sweet corn to a backyard BBQ, and I was left with a fridge full of leftovers. (Honestly, the woman shops like it’s her job.) So, this is what I came up with—sort of by accident, with the music loud and a glass of white wine dangerously close to the mixing bowl. Been making my Street Corn Pasta salad this way ever since.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Salad

I make this when it’s hot out and I can’t deal with turning on the oven—though, to be fair, I do boil pasta, so, go figure. My family goes crazy for this because it’s like comfort food packed into a bowl of summer. My nephew once called it "corny mac magic" which... I guess tells you how much he likes it. If you’re tired of bland mayo pasta salad, this is a total game-changer. (Except once when I forgot to buy cheese so I just dumped in extra cilantro—not recommended.)

Here’s What I Throw In (But You Can Fuss With It)

About 3 cups cooked pasta (elbow, shells, or whatever’s lurking in the pantry — I’ve even used fusilli, but elbows grab the sauce better, I think)
2 cups corn kernels (fresh is awesome, grilled is best, but frozen works fine—my grandma swore by Bird’s Eye in winter)
½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta if I’m at Aldi)
¼ cup mayonnaise (Duke’s is good, but any full-fat mayo does the job)
¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt if I’m feeling very “health blogger”
Juice of 1 lime (I have used the squeeze bottle kind—no shame)
Handful chopped fresh cilantro (omit if it tastes like soap to you... I get it, really)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (sometimes cayenne if you want it spicy)
½ teaspoon garlic powder (or a clove of minced fresh garlic, but sometimes I’m just lazy)
Salt and pepper to taste

How I Make It (And The Occasional Detour)

First, pasta. Cook it up in salted water—don’t forget to salt, or your noodles will taste like disappointment. Drain, rinse under cold water (this is one of those rare times where I rinse pasta—sue me), and set aside.
Next, corn. If I’m feeling energetic, I grill corn cobs until they’re a bit charred, then slice the kernels off. But some days, I grab a bag of frozen corn, toss it in a dry skillet, and cook until there’s some color. Either way, let it cool a bit so the dressing doesn’t melt.
Mix the sauce. In a big bowl, stir together mayo, sour cream, lime juice, paprika, garlic powder, a little salt, and pepper. Here’s where I usually take a rogue taste—just to, you know, make sure it’s edible. Or maybe I just like the sauce too much...
Combine everything. Dump in the pasta, corn, cheese, and cilantro. Mix it up. If it looks too dry, a splash more mayo or a dash of milk works. And don’t worry if it looks a bit odd at first—the cheese sort of glues itself to the pasta but it comes together.
Chill (if you can wait). Cover and pop in the fridge for an hour. Or eat it right away—I do, more often than not.
Finishing touch. Taste before serving, maybe add more lime or extra cheese. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle on crushed chili chips just before serving. Totally excessive, but why not?

Notes From Me, Not Some Test Kitchen

If you skip the chilling step, the flavors don’t meld quite as well, but it’s still tasty. Sometimes I just don’t have the patience.
Actually, I find it works better if you don’t dump all the cheese in at once—save some for topping, it looks prettier (otherwise it disappears in the mix...)
I once tried throwing in pickled jalapeños for a kick. Good idea in theory, but way too tangy!

Variations I’ve Tried… And One I Regret

Add black beans—makes it more filling. Plus, you can pretend it’s dinner.
Chopped red bell pepper for crunch (sometimes I use green if that’s what’s left in the crisper drawer).
One time I tossed in diced avocado… but it kinda turned to mush after a day, so I’d skip that unless you’re eating it right away.

Equipment You’ll Need (But Here’s How I Cheat)

You’ll want a big mixing bowl and a decent knife for the corn. A grill is great, but if you don’t have one, a lunch pan does the trick (even a nonstick skillet is fine, don’t let perfection slow you down). If you don’t have a zester for the lime, just use a fork—works well enough in a pinch.

How I Store This—Or Try To

Pop it in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! The flavors do get a bit more "zingy" after a night in the fridge. If it gets a little dry, just splash in some milk or a spoonful of yogurt to revive it.

Serving Street Corn Pasta Salad: My Favorites

Left to my own devices, I eat a heap of this on its own, but it's really ace alongside grilled burgers (or mushroom caps if you’re in a veggie mood). My family has a weird tradition—my brother puts hot sauce on everything, including this. Do as you will.

Lessons From My Many (Imperfect) Batches

I once tried rushing the pasta cooling step—regretted it because the sauce melted and it turned all gooey and oddly separated. Just let the pasta cool, trust me.
If you overdo the paprika, the color gets weirdly orange and kinda freaks people out. Use a light touch on that one.

FAQ (And a Silly One From My Dad, Of Course)

Can I make this gluten-free?
Yep! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta. I like the kind made form brown rice, though honestly some of them get mushy faster—Trader Joe’s brown rice pasta holds up decent. Here’s a handy list from Celiac.org if you need more product info!

What cheese works if I can’t find cotija?
Feta’s pretty close, or you could even go with parmesan if you want a different vibe. Or skip it—though, if you do skip, I'd just double up on the corn for texture.

How spicy is this?
Not really spicy unless you add cayenne (which I do when it's just me and my husband). You can leave out all the hot stuff if you prefer.

Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely! It honestly tastes better the next day… unless you added avocado, then that gets pretty weird. If you’re after meal prep ideas, the Serious Eats pasta salad round-up is full of good ones.

And here’s my dad’s question: “Can you microwave it?”
Well, you can, but cold is better. I’d say this isn’t meant to be eaten hot but you do you, Dad. (He microwaves salad—send help.)

Oh, and did you know you can use leftover grilled corn kernels in tacos, omelets, or just eat 'em with a spoon? That's my random digression for the day. If you give this street corn pasta salad a go, let me know what tweaks you try—just don’t blame me if it disappears faster than you expect. Cheers!

Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe: My Go-To Summery Mashup

So, Street Corn Pasta Salad? Here’s How I Ended Up Making It

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Salad

Here’s What I Throw In (But You Can Fuss With It)

How I Make It (And The Occasional Detour)

Notes From Me, Not Some Test Kitchen

Variations I’ve Tried… And One I Regret

Equipment You’ll Need (But Here’s How I Cheat)

How I Store This—Or Try To

Serving Street Corn Pasta Salad: My Favorites

Lessons From My Many (Imperfect) Batches

FAQ (And a Silly One From My Dad, Of Course)

Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

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