Creamy Street Veggie Pasta Salad

If you’ve ever had Mexican street corn, then you’re going to love this Creamy Street Veggie Pasta Salad recipe. Inspired by elote, the classic Mexican recipe, this pasta salad has a variety of incredible flavors and textures.

Traditional street corn is grilled, slathered in a mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream, then topped with cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime. It’s amazing. This easy pasta salad recipe is a fun twist on classic street corn recipe.

For more recipes like this, try my Red Cabbage Apple Slaw or my Pan Fried Zucchini with Hot Honey and Feta.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Lots of flavor. For this pasta salad recipe, I doubled down on the veggies and added some Delallo Food’s large shell pasta. Tossed with my simple tangy dressing, this recipe is a Healthyish version of traditional street corn. As a finishing touch, I crumbled queso fresco and chopped fresh cilantro as a garnish. The fresh herbs and salty cheese add that extra level of flavor that’s hard to resist.
• Perfect for gatherings. Serve this flavorful side dish at your next cookout or party. This street veggie pasta salad recipe screams summer and I can guarantee that your friends and family will love it. What’s great, is that this pasta salad recipe comes together in under 30 minutes too.
• Perfect for meal prep. This is a tasty side dish that you can prep for the week ahead. The dressing is slightly tangy which tastes so good with the fresh vegetables and cooked pasta. Honestly, this is one of those side dish recipes that you’ll make over and over again.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pasta – You’ll need eight ounces of al dente pasta for this recipe. I used shells but you can use cavatappi, penne or farfalle. Any short cut pasta will work well.
• Vegetables – This recipe calls for sliced tomatoes, diced red onion, drained corn kernels, finely diced jalapeno, and diced red bell pepper.
• Avocado – This recipe calls for freshly cubed avocado. Option to slice it instead.
• Seasoning – Season this pasta salad with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
• Dressing – Whisk together cane sugar and white vinegar in a warmed mixing bowl until dissolved. Then add the warm water, mayonnaise, light sour cream, and dijon mustard.
• Garnishes – Top this dish with crumbled cojita cheese and chopped fresh cilantro.

Expert Tips

• Use large jumbo shells for this recipe. Option to use bowtie pasta or penne pasta instead. You can use whatever type of short cut pasta you have on hand. Just be sure to cook the pasta al dente as the dressing will soften the pasta over time.
• If you’re looking for the best pasta, check out Delallo Foods. They make my favorite cuts of pasta and they cook up perfectly every single time.
• Warm the walls of the mixing bowl with some hot water before combining the dressing. This will allow the sugar to dissolve yielding a smooth creamy dressing. Just make sure to dry the bowl with paper towel before adding any ingredients.
• Cut the vegetables roughly the same size so you get a taste of everything in each bite.

How to Make Creamy Street Veggie Pasta Salad

Boil the Pasta

• Cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best. Drain off the pasta water using a colander. Set the pasta aside to cool. You’ll want it room temperature.

Combine the Dressing

• Run a mixing bowl under hot water. Once the bowl is warm, pour out the water and dry it well with a paper towel. Once well dried, add the sugar and white vinegar. Whisk well. The warmth from the bowl will help dissolve the sugar. Next, add the warm water, mayonnaise, light sour cream, and Dijon mustard. Mix until well combined.

Assemble

• Add the cooked pasta, sliced tomatoes, diced red bell peppers, finely diced jalapeño, corn kernels, and diced red onion. Toss everything together until well coated in the dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
• Top with queso fresco, avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro right before serving. Enjoy!

How to Store

• Store this easy pasta salad recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for four to five days. Just know, the veggies will soften after a few days in the refrigerator. You will begin to lose the crunch factor after a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Pasta Salad Recipes to Consider Trying

• Chopped Fall Pasta Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
• Grilled Chicken Caprese Macaroni Pasta Salad