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Healthy Street Corn Pasta Salad

Healthy street corn pasta salad with al dente pasta, charred corn, and a lighter Greek yogurt-based elote dressing. Bold Mexican street corn flavor gets a creamy tang with cotija, cilantro, and jalapeño—without the heavy calories.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and vegetables
  • 12 oz whole wheat rotini or chickpea pasta
  • 3 corn kernels, charred
  • 0.5 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 3 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
  • 2 green onions, sliced
For lighter elote dressing
  • 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta and char the corn
  1. Cook whole wheat rotini or chickpea pasta in boiling salted water to al dente, then drain, rinse cold, and cool until no longer warm. This helps the pasta hold its bite in the chilled salad.
  2. Char corn kernels in a hot dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until blistered in spots, then cool completely. Letting the corn cool prevents the salad from loosening its dressing.
Make the lighter elote dressing
  1. Whisk plain Greek yogurt, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt to taste until smooth and pourable.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine cooled pasta with charred corn, red onion, and jalapeño in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the lighter elote dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly to coat every surface.
  3. Fold in cilantro and green onions, then top with crumbled cotija.
  4. Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the texture firms up, then serve chilled. If desired, add extra lime wedges on top at serving.

Notes

For the cleanest texture, rinse the pasta cold right after draining so it stops cooking and stays al dente. Chill time is important because the Greek yogurt dressing thickens slightly when cold. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the salad does not freeze well due to yogurt texture. For a dairy-free swap, use a dairy-free cotija-style crumble or omit cotija and add a little extra lime zest for brightness.