chipotle street corn dip pasta salad
Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey…and pasta salads.
The pasta salad hype continues in this here internet space. Last year I obsessed over creating new pasta salads – the combinations really are endless, and usually good, assuming ya’ll don’t think my tastebuds are dysfunctional. I sure hope they aren’t.
Funny enough, my mom gave me a portion of her classic macaroni salad when I visited her over the weekend. From what I remember (correct me if I’m wrong, momsie) she created two typical pasta salads: the aforementioned, and an Italian-style one tossed with a ton of herby dressing, olives, and some other shit I can’t remember right now. I would pick at the salad before it was even properly chilled and ready to eat. Many a playful hand slap resulted.
Corn is rapidly descending in price – Publix right now is selling cobs 5 for $2, which is solid although by July-August usually one sees deals of 8-10 for $2. Grilling corn is quickly becoming one of my favorite summer activities. I dunno, those char marks really do it for me.
Ya’ll don’t much care about my stupid pre-recipe narratives. I sure know I wouldn’t care. So let’s just talk the dish, shall we?
Chipotle Street Corn Dip Pasta Salad, a new side dish to add to your summer BBQ rotation. Lots of blackened corn tossed with cooked pasta, avocado, green shit, and a kicky and creamy dressing tinged with chipotle peppers. Equally good cold or at room temperature, so you can pack up a portion for lunch or carry to the poolside for a party nibble along with your favorite cookout specialties.
Plus, you needn’t much more than 30 minutes to prep. Woot!
Fuss Over the Husk
Grilling the corn to give it a nice char is my favorite method of serving, so that is how I’ve written it in the recipe card. If you’re pressed for time or don’t really feel like it, you can always boil or bake the corn as you see fit. Shit, you can also use a can or frozen instead. Corn is corn, after all.
If you are interested in this method, heat up your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Husk the corn and pull off as many of those tiny hairs as possible. Place the cobs on the grates and cook about 8-10 minutes total, turning every couple minutes to give each side a chance to crisp up.
Cool the corn on a cutting born, then slice off the kernels with a serrated knife.
Pasta Mastah
The rest of the salad whips up in a flash of the cash I don’t have.
Pick out your favorite cut of short-cut pasta – you can use anything, but I love fusilli corti for my pasta salads. Boil it off in salty water according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the pasta from becoming too jiggly wiggly and fragile. Al dente is where it’s at.
Then, mix up the dressing. Vegan or regular mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), crumbled cotija cheese (or feta), lime juice, and a couple chopped up chipotle peppers from a can. Season with a little salt and pepper and voila.
Throw your pasta into a big bowl and toss with the dressing and corn, as well as shredded lettuce, cilantro, avocado, a serrano pepper, and cubed pepper jack cheese. Mo’ cheese, less problems.
FYI – if you plan to store leftovers of the pasta salad, omit the avocado to prevent unsightly browning. Add as much as you please upon serving.
Dish out immediately, or pop in the fridge for later. The salad will last the week so it is a fabulous meal prep option for busy workdays. Or, make it a few days ahead of time (again, leaving out ye ole avo) for your weekend pool party. 4th of July potluck contribution? I say yes.
If you happen to be hosting a street corn-inspired dinner kickback, why not add the Layered Street Corn Taco Dip and White Street Corn Dip Pizza to your rotation? Just a thought.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Pasta power:
Pesto Tomato Avocado Caesar Pasta Salad
Lemon Chickpea, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
chipotle street corn dip pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb short-cut pasta
- 3 ears yellow corn, shucked
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, cubed
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, sliced
chipotle dressing
- 1/2 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 4 oz cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 chipotle peppers, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- Meanwhile, heat a grill pan, grill, or cast iron skillet to medium-high. Char the corn cobs for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or so. Move to a cutting board and let cool enough to handle, then use a sharp serrated knife to slice off the kernels.
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt/sour cream, cotija, lime juice, chipotle peppers, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl along with the corn, lettuce, cilantro, pepper jack, avocado, and serrano pepper. Toss with the dressing until combined.
- Divide into bowls and serve with extra limes, cilantro, and/or basil, as desired.
