Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe (Easy Lunch) 🌽🍝
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines the classic street corn flavors with pasta for a refreshing and satisfying lunch option. Loaded with zesty ingredients like lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese, it's perfect for warm days or as a side for barbecues.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta or any pasta of your choice
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels can also use canned or frozen, cooked
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the cavatappi pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the fresh corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, black beans, finely chopped red onion, and chopped cilantro.
- Add the cooked and cooled pasta to the mixing bowl, then drizzle with olive oil and lime juice. Sprinkle chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste, and toss everything until well combined.
- Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese gently, reserving a small amount for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Transfer the pasta salad to a serving dish and top with the reserved cotija cheese. Serve immediately, or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to enhance the flavors.
Notes
Tip 1: For added flavor, try grilling the corn before adding it to the salad.
Tip 2: This salad can be made a day in advance; just add the cotija cheese right before serving.
Variation: Swap out black beans for diced avocado for a creamier texture.
Tip 2: This salad can be made a day in advance; just add the cotija cheese right before serving.
Variation: Swap out black beans for diced avocado for a creamier texture.