Description
Healthy Street Corn Pasta Salad combines the bold flavors of Mexican street corn with a fresh and colorful pasta salad. Made with sweet corn, vegetables, herbs, creamy lime dressing, and tender pasta, this lighter recipe is perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, meal prep, and family gatherings. It delivers a delicious balance of creamy, tangy, smoky, and fresh flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 12 oz rotini or bowtie pasta
- 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or grilled)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese or feta cheese
- 1 avocado, diced
For the Healthy Street Corn Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Tajín seasoning
- Extra cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Prepare the corn: Grill or sauté corn until lightly charred for extra street corn flavor. Let cool.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Combine ingredients: Add pasta, corn, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, cheese, and avocado to a large bowl.
- Add dressing: Pour dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
- Serve: Garnish with extra cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, and seasoning before serving.
Notes
For the best flavor, grill the corn before adding it to the salad. Add avocado right before serving to keep it fresh. This pasta salad can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: healthy street corn pasta salad, mexican pasta salad, elote pasta salad, summer pasta salad, bbq side dish, healthy picnic recipe
