Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

How are we at the end of July already?!

Wow. This summer is FLYING by.

I am always torn come this time of year because part of me never wants summer to end. Give me all the corn and tomatoes and watermelon forever. And the other part of me cannot WAIT for fall. I start craving soups and cozy baked goods and FOOTBALL.

This fall is a big one for our family. I am leaving my job of 14 years at the end of August. This is due to a great many factors, and it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but it is right for me and my family right now. I get to be home with my boys, and hopefully spend some more time dedicated to this little space. I am so looking forward to that aspect of things, but I am scared. I have been working since I was 14 years old. This will be a whole new era for me, but it’s one I think will be really great for me and for my blog. I get to be my own boss for the first time in my life, and that feels so good.

On top of that big change, Kieran starts kindergarten in September! OMG. I cannot believe I will have a 5-year-old AND a kindergartener. Holy moly. I secretly can’t wait to take him school supply shopping. It was always one of my favorite things growing up. Nothing gets me going like a fresh notebook! I’m letting my nerd flag fly right now.

All of the impending changes are exciting but very nervewracking. My anxiety has been at an all-time high lately. When I do take a moment to decompress, I remind myself to focus on the moment, the right now. And that means soaking up this next month of summer with all I’ve got!

Speaking of summer, this bowl of yum is brought to you by all the delicious seasonal produce. I love a good pasta salad (I think they are often so underrated!), and this one is my new fave.

We are big elotes (aka, Mexican street corn) fans in this house. There is NOTHING like it, and we eat it regularly in the summer. New Jersey corn is fabulous, and we have a favorite local farmstand that we go to each week, mainly for their corn. It’s the best I’ve ever had in my life.

And it makes dishes like this shine!

This pasta salad features sweet fresh corn, juicy tomatoes, tons of herbs, spicy baby arugula, cotija cheese, and an addictingly tangy and creamy spiced lime dressing. It is a big bowl of yum, for sure. The pasta is actually the least exciting part here, and I basically live for carbs, so trust me when I say how good this combo of ingredients is.

I love throwing a bowl of this together and popping it in the fridge for us to snack on whenever we need a quick bite of something hearty. It goes well with just about everything. It’s an awesome side dish to any protein, but it’s also completely fabulous (and satisfying!) on its own.

It also happens to taste great warmed up. As we were working our way through this bowl, I was craving something warm. I heated a bowl of this up in the microwave and it tasted so, so good! It brought out all the great flavors even more.

And I am obsessed with these flavors!

If you need me, I’ll be here, fork deep in this bowl of awesomeness, in total denial that we only have a few weeks of summer left. Waah!

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

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• Author: Molly
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Dressing:

• ½ cup Mexican crema (see NOTE)
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• Juice and zest of 3 limes
• 2 teaspoons chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Pasta:

• 1 lb short pasta of choice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from roughly 6 ears of corn)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
• ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
• Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

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Instructions

For the Dressing:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Pasta:

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until el dente, according to the package directions. Drain and add to the bowl with the dressing, tossing well to coat.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and corn and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, or until the corn is softened. Season with a little salt and pepper.
3. Add the corn mixture to the bowl with the pasta and stir to combine.
4. Add in the tomatoes, arugula, and cilantro and gently stir to combine.
5. Garnish with the cheese, additional herbs, and a few limes wedges.
6. Eat immediately or chill for a couple hours to allow the flavors to meld. If serving later, allow the pasta salad to come to room temperature before serving.

Notes

If you cannot find Mexican crema, sub with ½ cup sour cream thinned with a little milk or water until it is of a drizzling consistency.