Get ready for this Southwest-inspired Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad to become the show stealer at all your summer get togethers. With roasted corn, creamy plant-based mayo, tangy lime, and a harmonious blend of spices, this salad is a celebration of Southwest flavors that will ignite your taste buds. This plant-based street corn pasta salad is a wonderful addition to your recipe collection, whether you follow a vegan diet or you're just looking for a flavorful and filling pasta salad.
Are you planning a picnic, a barbecue, or simply craving a refreshing dish?! If you answered yes then this street corn pasta salad is the perfect option to prepare and share!
This dish was inspired by having the El Elote! Street style at Penelopes Vegan Taqueria in Andersonville, Chicago earlier this year. Elote is a popular Mexican street food dish that consists of a grilled or boiled ear of corn typically served on a stick. It is a beloved snack enjoyed in Mexico and has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well.
To prepare elote, the corn is typically first boiled or grilled until cooked. It is then coated with various toppings to enhance its flavor. The most common toppings include mayonnaise, chili powder or hot sauce, lime juice, and crumbled cheese, such as Cotija or queso fresco. Some variations may also include butter, sour cream, or cilantro.
While elote is typically served on the cob, esquites include the same ingredients but have the corn kernels removed from the cob and are served in a bowl or cup and eaten with a spoon. This equites-inspired pasta salad is both cruelty-free and bursting with authentic flavors.
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Ingredients
This vibrant street corn pasta salad boasts a creamy and tangy dressing made with vegan mayo, vegan sour cream, lime juice, and spices. The salad features perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta, coated in the flavorful dressing, and is enhanced with a delicious mix of charred corn, diced garlic, and homemade vegan cotija cheese adding a burst of rich and savory goodness to every bite.
- Rigatoni pasta noodles - these are an ideal choice for this pasta salad due to its tubular shape and ridges, which help hold the flavorful dressing and spices. Its larger size adds heartiness to the salad, complementing the sweet roasted corn kernels. Visually appealing and easy to eat with a fork, rigatoni enhances the overall eating experience and ensures a delightful medley of flavors in every bite.
- Avocado oil - used to cook and char the corn
- Frozen corn - the great thing about frozen corn is there is minimal prep work required and it has a long shelf (or freezer) life. Additionally, frozen produce is accessible year round. You can certainly use fresh corn here and that may be even more flavorful in this already tasty recipe! When in season, there's really no replacement for its sweet crunch.
- Garlic
- Vegan cojita cheese - Cotija or queso fresco is a typical ingredient in esquites and elote. This homemade vegan cotija cheese has the crumbly texture and salty, tangy flavor that perfectly replicates the essence of traditional dairy-based cotija.
- Vegan mayo and vegan sour cream replace the typical egg and dairy based versions
- Lime juice
- Spices: chili powder, cumin, and Tajín seasoning. Tajín seasoning is a popular Mexican spice blend known for its tangy and mildly spicy flavor profile. It is made from a combination of chili peppers, salt, and dehydrated lime, which gives it a unique and refreshing taste. Tajín seasoning is widely used in Mexican cuisine to enhance the flavors of various dishes, including fruits, vegetables, snacks, and even beverages. One of the most common ways Tajín is enjoyed is by sprinkling it on fresh fruits, such as mango, pineapple, watermelon, and cucumber, adding a burst of zesty and spicy flavor. Tajín has gained popularity outside of Mexico and can now be found in many supermarkets and grocery stores around the world. Its use in vegan and vegetarian cooking has increased, as it adds depth and complexity to plant-based recipes.
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta - use a gluten free noodle to make this recipe gluten free. Additionally, feel free to change up the shape of your noodle. A spiral noodle like rotini or fusilli or bow tie noodle would also be good options.
- Cilantro - not everyone enjoys cilantro. If this happens to be you I suggest replacing the cilantro with green onions and use the whole onion - i.e. both the white bottom and green tops and use additional green tops for garnishing. If you are bringing this dish to serve at a party and want to cater to both cilantro lovers and loathers you could leave out mixing in either the cilantro or onions and bring each in a separate dish and let people add their preference.
- Corn - you can use fresh corn on the cobb instead of frozen corn. Suggest using 5 medium ears of corn. If using fresh sweet corn you can cut the uncooked corn off of the cobb and cook in your skillet until it's nice and charred. Another option would be grilling the corn, then once done and cool enough to touch you can cut the kernels off of the cobb and mix in with the pasta and dressing. If going the grilling route, suggest still sautéing the garlic for 2-3 minutes over medium heat in a little bit of avocado oil versus adding raw garlic to the salad.
- Beans - a can of rinsed and drained black beans could be added to increase the protein and fiber in this recipe.
Instructions
While the pasta is cooking according to package directions, whip up your salad dressing. Add the vegan mayo, sour cream, lime juice, spice, and salt to a mixing bowl and stir or whisk to combine. Set aside.
Heat avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and add your frozen corn. You do not need to thaw your corn before you begin to cook it. It will cook fine in the skillet from frozen. Once the kernels are no longer frozen they will begin to develop that nice golden brown charring. The key here is to not constantly stir the corn. Instead cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes and then give it a light stir. Continue to do this until the corn kernels are charred to your liking. In total this took me ~15-18 minutes.
Add corn, cooked and rinsed pasta (see top tip below), and fresh cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Pour on dressing and mix until all ingredients are coated.
Lastly add the crumbly vegan cotija cheese and give it several stirs to mix in to the salad evenly.
Top tip
When making pasta salads I find it helpful to rinse my cooked noodles with cold water immediately after draining from the cooking water. This not only helps them cool down quicker but prevents them from sticking to one another and potentially continuing to cook / become over-cooked and have a mushy texture. I will sometimes also toss a bit of olive oil on them and stir them gently in the colander with a wooden spoon.
Equipment
To make this recipe you will need a pot to cook your pasta and a colander to drain it. You will also need a cutting board and knife to dice up the garlic and cilantro and a medium mixing bowl for the dressing. Lastly, you will need a large bowl to mix and hold the pasta, corn and dressing.
Storage
Did you know that pasta salads are similar to many soup and chili recipes in that they are even tastier the next day after everything rests and all the flavors meld together?! It's true, give it try it with this street corn pasta salad, easy vegan pasta salad, creamy vegan macaroni salad, or creamy vegan dill pickle pasta salad.
This dish should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Like most pasta salads, this recipe does not hold up well to freezing.
FAQ
Personally I love and use Hellmann's Vegan Mayo Spread or Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart. I have tried many other brands over the years that do not quite do it for me in terms of flavor and texture. I think it's also important to recognize everyone has their own palate and preferences. With that said, I would love to know your preference and if I am missing any other good vegan options out there!
You must use a gluten free noodle to make this recipe gluten free. See above in the Substitutions and Variations section for more specific information on using different kinds of pasta noodles.
Yes, this pasta salad is delicious leftover and can be made ahead of time. You could make this a day in advance prior to serving at a gathering or you could make this for a weekly meal prep. The recipe will be good stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, absolutely! The frozen corn offers convenience but is not a requirement for this recipe to turn out well. Moreover, during sweet corn season, nothing quite matches the sweet crunch it offers. See above Substitutions and Variations section for more specific information on using fresh corn.
Pairing Ideas:
Here are several ideas to serve alongside this tasty dish:
- Grilled Portobello Mushrooms: Serve the pasta salad alongside grilled portobello mushrooms marinated in a savory balsamic glaze. The earthy flavors of the mushrooms will complement the tangy and creamy notes of the salad.
- Avocado and Black Bean Tacos: Create a delightful taco spread with avocado slices, black beans, shredded lettuce, and tomatoes. The combination of textures and flavors will make for a satisfying and colorful meal.
- Chipotle Lime Grilled Tofu: Pair the pasta salad with slices of chipotle lime-marinated grilled tofu. The smoky, spicy, and tangy tofu will elevate the taste experience and add a protein-packed element to the meal.
- Refreshing Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca: Complement the dish with a refreshing cucumber-mint agua fresca. The cool and herbal drink will balance the richness of the pasta salad and provide a light and hydrating accompaniment.
- Vegan Mexican Street Corn: Create a full-on Mexican street food feast by serving your vegan street corn pasta salad alongside the classic elote or esquite. No, this is not too much corn. I mean really, is there such a thing? I don't think so. Both dishes will celebrate the delicious flavors of corn in different ways, giving your guests a delightful variety.
- Simple Green Salad: Serve the pasta salad on a bed of fresh greens, mixed with cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, sliced avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle with a zesty lime-cilantro dressing for a refreshing and well-rounded meal.
- Vegan Quesadillas: Accompany the pasta salad with vegan quesadillas filled with dairy-free cheese, sautéed peppers, and onions. The cheesy and savory quesadillas will complement the flavors of the salad perfectly.
Related
Looking for other plant-based recipes like this? Try these:
Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons vegan sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice or the juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon Tajín seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Salad
- 1 lbs rigatoni pasta, cooked
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 lbs of frozen corn (~3 ¾ cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 cup vegan Cotija cheese, divided (¾ in the salad, ¼ for additional garnish as desired)
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped *plus for more garnish
Instructions
Making the dressing
- Add vegan mayo, sour cream, lime juice, water, chili powder, cumin, Tajín, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and mix ingredients until well combined.
Making the Salad
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain in colander and rinse noodles with cold water to help them cool down and prevent them from sticking to one another. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add corn kernels and toss to coat. You do not need to thaw your corn before you begin to cook it. It will cook fine in the skillet from frozen. Once the kernels are no longer frozen they will begin to develop that nice golden brown charring. The key here is to not constantly stir the corn. Instead cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes and then give it a light stir. Continue to do this until the corn kernels are charred to your liking. This should take ~15-16 minutes when using frozen corn.
- Add garlic once corn kernels are chard to your likening and cook another two minutes over low-medium heat.
- Transfer corn kernels to a large bowl.
- Add cooked pasta, dressing, and cilantro to bowl with corn kernels and stir all ingredients together until salad ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add vegan cotija cheese crumbles to salad and and stir several times to mix it in to the salad evenly.
- Chill at least 1 hour prior to serving to allow the pasta to absorb dressing.
- Serve chilled and garnish with additional vegan cotija cheese, cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
Food safety
It is important to avoid leaving food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods of time. This pasta salad is served cold; therefore, you need either take it off the table after two hours (returning it to the refrigerator or cooler or discarding it), OR figure out a way to serve it in a larger container of ice so that it stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) or less. Check out these potluck and picnic food safety tips for more information.
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