Street Corn Pasta Salad

This street corn pasta salad will be a summer staple because you will want to make it over and over again! It has all the delicious traditional street corn ingredients with some pasta added in for the perfect side dish. It’s great for any bbq, gathering, potluck, etc. Or you can just make some to have on hand for the week because you will probably just be addicted to it, just saying.

This street corn pasta salad would be the perfect side for my salsa verde wings found here. You can definitely grill the wings and have this on the side for a great labor day meal to end the summer on the right foot! If you have fresh corn then I highly recommend you use this, especially if you can grill it. There is just something to say about fresh grilled corned. Don’t worry though, canned or frozen corn is just as delicious in this recipe. You can also use any kind of pasta you wish to use in this. I have tried it with regular pasta in all kinds of shapes and have also made it with chickpea pasta which turned out so good as well. Here’s the link to the chickpea pasta that I like to use.

Just as in traditional street corn I use a little mayo and a little sour cream in this. If you go to Mexico and get a street corn from a vendor you typically get to choose between sour cream or mayo, or a combination of both. Trust me, you want the combination! The combination of the tangy sour cream and the creamy mayo makes the perfect base for this pasta salad. With that said, you can absolutely use one or the other and still get a delicious result! Let’s talk about the cheese. This can be a big debate for some. Do you use cotija or queso fresco? I am here to tell you I do not discriminate a single cheese and either one of these is the best choice. If you like a drier, saltier, more bold flavor then go for cotija. If you like a crumblier, creamier, more mild cheese then queso fresco is where it’s at. You can certainly be like me and just use a little bit of both. (My husband would say queso fresco is the only one with a role in this but what do husband’s really know, huh?! JK, kind of!).

Last but not least is the addition of Tajin. Let me tell you if you have some Tajin or can get some, do it! Game changer! You can use Tajin as a seasoning for all kinds of things but it is absolutely perfect for street corn. You can definitely sub with a little chili powder instead. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese and cilantro for the ultimate finishing touch!