Description
A bold, creamy, and fresh summer twist on Mexican street corn meets pasta salad—packed with grilled corn, avocado, zesty lime mayo, and smoky chili butter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1–2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta)
- 1 pound short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
- 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
- 2 cups grilled/roasted corn (from 3–4 fresh ears)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup spicy cheddar cheese, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, olive oil, grated garlic, chopped chives, salt, pepper, and cotija or feta. Mix until smooth.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss warm pasta into the cheese dressing.
- Add romaine, grilled corn, basil, cilantro, diced cheddar, and avocado. Mix thoroughly.
- In a skillet, melt butter. Stir in paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Cook until fragrant and red. Let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and lime juice with a pinch of salt.
- Serve pasta salad in a large bowl, drizzle with lime mayo, top with chili butter, and rest 10–15 minutes before serving if desired.
Notes
For best texture, add avocado just before serving. Store leftovers up to 3 days and refresh with extra dressing if needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiled & Tossed
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 salad
- Calories: 415
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 7.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: street corn, pasta salad, summer recipe, healthy, avocado, grilled corn