Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Hey friends! Let’s make something seriously tasty today. This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a dish I whip up all the time. Seriously, it’s become a go-to in my house.

You know that amazing flavor of Mexican street corn, elote? The corn grilled just right, smothered in that creamy, tangy sauce, with chili powder and salty cheese? Mmm. Well, picture that party, but tossed with pasta, yummy bacon, and fresh herbs. That’s what we’re diving into!

It’s like taking the best street food vibes and turning them into an easy pasta salad that everyone loves. Perfect for bringing to a friend’s BBQ, a potluck, or honestly? Just making a Tuesday night feel a little more exciting. This version has a little extra something from beef bacon and a spice mix I think you’ll really dig. Ready to cook together?

Quick Look: What You’re Getting Into

Before we start chopping, here’s the lowdown:

Detail	Time / Amount	Notes
Prep Time	About 10 mins	Mostly chopping while the pasta bubbles away. Easy peasy.
Cook Time	About 10 mins	Just cooking pasta and getting the corn & bacon sizzlin’.
Total Time	Around 20 mins!	Super quick!
Makes	4 big meals / 6-8 sides	Need more? Just double everything! The steps stay the same.
Difficulty	Easy!	If you can boil water, you’ve totally got this. Great for beginners!

Stuff You’ll Need:

• A regular pot for the pasta
• A strainer (colander)
• A big skillet (non-stick is nice for the bacon)
• A big bowl for mixing
• A whisk (or a fork works fine!)
• Knife & cutting board
• Measuring cups & spoons

(Don’t have exactly that? No worries. Cook the bacon/corn in a pot if needed. Improvise!)

Can I Make It Ahead? Heck yeah! This salad is great for prepping. You can make the whole thing ahead. I sometimes add the bacon and cheese right before serving so they stay perfect, but we’ll talk more about that later.

Let’s Grab Your Ingredients

Okay, ingredient time! The real magic here is how simple stuff comes together with an awesome dressing.

• Pasta: We need 2 cups of macaroni pasta. You know, the elbow kind? It holds the sauce so well. But honestly, rotini, fusilli, penne, small shells – they all work great. Use whatever short pasta you like! Need gluten-free? Just grab your favorite GF pasta and cook it like the package says.
• Corn: 1 cup of Frozen fire-roasted corn. Okay, this is my little secret for getting that smoky taste without firing up the grill. So easy. Can’t find it? Regular frozen corn or even canned corn (drain it really well!) works fine. Just make sure to brown it nicely in the pan.
• Bacon: 1 slice of beef bacon, chopped up. Adds this amazing salty, smoky flavor. Regular pork bacon? Perfect substitute. Want a veggie version? Just leave it out!
• Cheese: ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese. This stuff is classic for elote. Salty, crumbly… yum. If your store doesn’t have it, queso fresco is good too (it’s milder), or even feta cheese can work, though it tastes a bit tangier.
• Fresh Stuff:
  • ⅓ cup Spring onions (the green ones!), sliced thin. Use the white and green bits!
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped. Plus a bit extra for making it look pretty at the end. (Not a cilantro fan? Use parsley, but it will taste different).
  • 1 Clove garlic, minced (chopped super small).
• The Zing!
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (the yellow outer skin, finely grated).
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice. This brightens everything up! Lime juice and zest are more traditional for elote and taste amazing too – feel free to swap!
• Spices: Here’s where the personality comes in!
  • ½ Teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked, your choice!)
  • ½ Teaspoon chili powder (the regular kind)
  • 1 Teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano is cool if you have it, but regular is totally fine).
  • Salt and black pepper – add how much you like!
• The Creamy Dressing: This is the heart of it all!
  • ½ cup Mayonnaise (use one you actually like the taste of!)
  • 1 cup Sour cream. This combo gives it that perfect creamy tang. Greek yogurt can step in for sour cream if you want it lighter. Mexican crema makes it richer!
  • 1 Jalapeno, chopped really small or blended. Take out the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy. Leave some in if you like a kick!
• Oil: Just 1 Tbsp olive oil. We’ll use it to keep the pasta from sticking after cooking.

Quick Tip: Chop and measure everything before you start cooking. Trust me, it makes things go way smoother! Dice the bacon small so it gets nice and crispy. Zest the lemon before you juice it – easier that way!

Okay, Let’s Cook! Step-by-Step

Apron on? Let’s make some magic happen! This Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad isn’t hard, but a few little tricks make it extra good.

Cook the Pasta Right: First things first – the pasta. Fill your pot about two-thirds with water and get it boiling on high heat. Like, really boiling! Big bubbles. Now, add a good pinch of salt (maybe a tablespoon). Why? It flavors the pasta itself. It’s your only chance! Carefully pour in the 2 cups of macaroni.

Give it a quick stir so it doesn’t stick. Cook it like the package says, BUT… we want it al dente. That just means it should still have a tiny bit of firmness when you bite it. Nobody likes mushy pasta salad!

Start tasting a piece a minute or two before the package time says it’s done. Fish one out, cool it, bite it. Feel that slight resistance? Perfect! Get it off the heat fast. Carefully pour everything into your strainer in the sink. Now, rinse the pasta with cold water. This stops it from cooking more and washes off extra starch so it doesn’t get gummy.

Shake it well to get rid of the water. Dump the drained pasta into a bowl (or back in the empty pot) and toss it gently with that 1 Tbsp of olive oil. This keeps it from sticking together while it cools. Set it aside to cool down completely. Room temp is perfect. Quick cool trick: Spread it on a baking sheet!

Sizzle the Bacon & Corn: While the pasta chills, let’s build flavor. Put your big skillet over medium heat. Let it warm up a minute, then add the diced beef bacon. You should hear a nice sizzle. Let it cook, stirring now and then, until the fat melts and the bacon bits get brown and crispy. Usually takes 5-7 minutes.

Watch the heat – turn it down if it’s getting dark too fast. Listen – the sizzle changes when it gets crispy! Smell that amazing smell? Once it’s crisp, use a slotted spoon to scoop the bacon onto a plate with paper towels. Leave about a tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan (pour off any extra – maybe save it for eggs later?).

Put the skillet back on medium heat. Now add the 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn to that yummy bacon fat. Careful, it might sputter a bit! Cook the corn, stirring often, for about 5-7 minutes. It already has color, but this heats it through and adds more tasty charred bits.

You want it hot and maybe slightly blistered. Your kitchen should smell amazing – smoky, sweet, and savory. Take the skillet off the heat and let the corn cool down in the pan for 5-10 minutes. We don’t want hot corn melting our dressing!

Mix Up the Dreamy Dressing: Time for the sauce that brings it all together! Grab your big mixing bowl. Make sure it’s big enough for the whole salad. Add the ½ cup Mayonnaise and 1 cup Sour cream. Then add all the flavor goodies: 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, the minced garlic, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ Teaspoon paprika, ½ Teaspoon chili powder, 1 Teaspoon dried oregano, and the finely minced Jalapeno. Grab your whisk and mix it all up! Keep whisking until it’s totally smooth and creamy.

No streaks allowed! It should be a nice pale color with little flecks of spice. Okay, important step: taste it. Use a clean spoon. Does it need more tang (lemon)? More spice? Now, add your salt and black pepper. Start slow with the salt – remember, the bacon and cotija cheese are salty too! Whisk it in, taste again. Adjust until you think it tastes awesome. Little trick: Want it super smooth? Blend all the dressing stuff in a small blender or use an immersion blender right in the bowl before tasting. It should smell tangy and delicious.

Put It All Together!: The big moment! Make sure your pasta is cool. Add the cooled pasta and the cooled corn (scrape in any tasty browned bits from the pan!) to the bowl with the dressing. Sprinkle in the crispy bacon bits, the ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese, the green ⅓ cup sliced Spring onion, and the fresh ⅓ cup chopped cilantro. Now, grab a big spoon or spatula. Gently fold everything together.

Think scoop from the bottom, lift, and fold over the top. Rotate the bowl. Keep going until everything is nicely coated. Don’t mash the pasta! Stop and look at it! Pretty, right? Yellow corn, green herbs, red spices, white pasta and cheese, yummy bacon… So colorful! Okay, final taste test.

Does it need a last pinch of salt? More pepper? A tiny squeeze of lemon? Fix it up until it’s perfect for you. Your amazing Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is ready! You can chill it or serve it now.

Make It Your Own: Fun Ideas & Swaps

One thing I love about this recipe is you can totally play with it!

• Diet Stuff:
  • Gluten-Free? Easy! Just use GF pasta.
  • Veggie? Skip the bacon. Maybe add some rinsed black beans or chopped sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor?
  • Vegan? You’ll need a few swaps: vegan mayo, vegan sour cream (or cashew cream), nutritional yeast instead of cotija, and skip the bacon. Totally doable!
• Spice Level:
  • Milder: Use only half the jalapeño (and no seeds!), or skip it. Use less chili powder.
  • Spicier: Leave some jalapeño seeds in, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dressing, or stir in a tiny bit of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (smoky!).
• Fancy vs. Fast:
  • Feeling Fancy? Use fresh grilled corn in the summer – yum! Add diced avocado just before serving. Toss in some black beans or diced red bell pepper for more color and stuff.
  • Need it Quick? Stick with the frozen fire-roasted corn (or canned). Keep the recipe simple like we did.
• Seasonal Switches: Fresh corn is the best in summer. Otherwise, frozen fire-roasted corn is your friend!

Serving and Storing Your Awesome Salad

You made it! A big bowl of deliciousness. Here’s the scoop on serving and saving:

• Make it Pretty: Serve it chilled or at room temp in a big bowl. Sprinkle extra cotija cheese, a dash of chili powder or paprika, and fresh cilantro on top. A little squeeze of lemon or lime right before serving makes it pop!
• What Goes With It? It’s hearty enough for a light lunch! Or serve it as a side with BBQ, grilled chicken or steak, burgers, tacos… basically anything summery! Chips and guac are always a good idea too.
• Storing Leftovers: Pop leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll taste great for 3-4 days. Sometimes it tastes even better the next day!
• Reheating? Nope! This is a cold salad. Reheating makes the dressing weird and the pasta sad.
• Making Ahead & Freezing:
  • Make-Ahead: Totally! Make the whole thing a day early. My tip: sometimes I keep the bacon and half the cheese separate and stir them in right before serving so the bacon stays crispy. If it seems dry after chilling, just stir in a spoonful of sour cream or a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Freezing: Nah, don’t freeze this one. Mayo and sour cream get weird when they thaw, and the pasta gets mushy. Best to enjoy it fresh or from the fridge.

And that’s it! You now know how to make an incredibly flavorful Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad (with a nice protein bump from the bacon and cheese!). I really hope you have fun making it and love eating it as much as I do. Happy cooking!

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