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Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad
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5 from 9 reviews

Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad

This Vegan Street Corn Pasta Salad combines charred corn, creamy vegan dressing, crunchy veggies, and bold southwestern spices in one irresistible bowl. It's a deliciously crowd-pleasing side or lunch idea, perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or weekday meal prep.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Vegan
Keyword dairy-free BBQ sides, plant-based corn pasta salad, summer vegan recipes, Vegan Pasta Salad, vegan street corn salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 598kcal
Cost $10 USD

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Strainer
  • Large salad bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Whisk or spoon

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 2 tbsp Vegan butter or olive oil for charring the corn
  • 2 cups dry fusilli pasta
  • 3 cups frozen corn charred (or canned, drained)
  • 3 green onions (finely diced (≈ ⅓ cup)
  • ½ bunch cilantro chopped (≈ ½ cup)
  • 1 tbsp diced red chili or jalapeño
  • 1 small red onion (diced)
  • ½ green bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 avocado (diced)
  • ⅓ cup vegan feta crumbled (or regular)
  • ½ cup canned kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
  • 1-2 handfuls tortilla chips (lightly crushed, for topping)

For the Dressing:

  • 1 cup plain vegan yogurt (or regular)
  • ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (or regular)
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp sweet paprika
  • ⅛ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Sriracha or chili crisp
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • 1. Cook the Pasta
    - Bring a large pot (≈ 12 cups water) to a rolling boil.
    - Add 1 Tbsp salt and the fusilli; cook until al dente per package.
    - Drain, rinse under cold water for 15 seconds, shake dry, and let cool completely.
  • 2. Char the Corn
    - Heat a skillet over medium-high; add the measured vegan butter or olive oil.
    - Add frozen corn and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
    - Season with salt and pepper; let cool.
  • 3. Prepare the Veggies
    - Dice the green onions, cilantro, chili/jalapeño, red onion, green bell pepper and avocado.
    - Rinse and drain the kidney beans.
    - Crumble the vegan feta.
  • 4. Make the Dressing
    - In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mayo, minced garlic, smoked and sweet paprikas, cumin, Sriracha (or chili crisp), lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  • 5. Assemble the Salad
    - In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, charred corn, all diced veggies (including avocado), kidney beans, and vegan feta.
    - Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing if desired.
    - Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or Sriracha.
  • 6. Serve
    - Transfer to a serving dish and finish with a generous sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch.
    - Enjoy immediately, or chill up to 30 minutes for flavors to meld.
    - Leftovers keep (airtight) in the fridge up to 2 days.

Notes

Nutrition is an estimate. The amount of cooking oil used or absorbed can change the values.

Nutrition

Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 892mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 2mg