High-Protein Street Corn Pasta Salad: Macro-Friendly Mexican Food

Why You’ll Love This High-Protein Esquite Pasta Salad

Street corn (esquites and elotes) are a staple food in our household as street vendors selling street corn can be found on every corner in Oaxaca. After seeing a few iterations of street corn pasta salads around the internet, I set out to create a higher protein version that preserves the rich tastes in esquite (this is the version of street corn served in a cup) while also constituting a balanced, protein-forward, “macro friendly” meal.

This recipe is one you can approach with lots of flexibility, changing up the spices to fit you and your family’s preferences. It’s creamy, tangy, and filling due to the fiber and protein content, and my toddler actually ate it (a miracle!).

If you’ve tried any of my other macro-friendly KLN recipes, you know that I try to keep all my recipes to one pan max. This one does require both a blender and a pan, but I can guarantee it’s quick, simple, and can be thrown together with ingredients you probably already have at home.

MACRO FRIENDLY STREET CORN PASTA SALAD

PREP TIME: 10 minutes || COOK TIME: 20 minutes || Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese

• Juice and zest of 2 limes

• 1 TB olive oil or mayo (optional for richness)

• ½ TB minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

FOR THE PASTA

• 1 (8 oz) box Banza pasta (or other high-protein chickpea pasta)

• FOR THE CORN

• 2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn (if using canned, make sure to first pat dry)

• 1–2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-2 jalapeño(s), diced (remove seeds for less heat)

FOR GARNISH

• ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

• ¼ cup chopped green onions (optional)

• Tajín (or Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning), to taste

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: MAKE THE DRESSING

1. Add cottage cheese, lime juice and zest, optional olive oil or mayo, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper to a blender.

2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning to preference.

STEP 2: COOK THE PASTA

1. Cook Banza pasta according to package instructions.

2. Reserve 2–4 tbsp of pasta water before draining.

STEP 3: PREP THE CORN

1. Heat skillet over medium-high and give a quick spray with cooking spray

2. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté until fragrant (1–2 minutes).

3. Add corn and cook until charred in spots, stirring occasionally (5–10 minutes).

STEP 4: ASSEMBLE

1. Toss warm pasta with half of the dressing. Add some reserved pasta water if needed.

2. Stir in corn mixture and remaining dressing.

3. Fold in cotija, cilantro, and green onions.

4. Top with Tajín to taste just before serving.

MACROS PER SERVING: 22.5P/14.5F/45C (400 Cal, 6g fiber)

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching “ KLN Recipe High Protein Esquite Pasta Salad ”.

GIVE IT A TRY: RECIPE TIPS AND VARIATIONS

• We eat lots of street corn (esquite, elote) in our house and we love it with a little spice. When making the dressing, adjust seasonings to meet your specific preferences. That may mean more or less chili powder/cayenne, more or less lime, etc. The goal is that it’s a dressing that tastes good to you!

• Top with some grilled chicken for added protein

• This recipe also works great for meal prep as it stores well and becomes even more flavorful on following days

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Love this recipe? Check out our Macro-Friendly Recipe Collection for more easy, high-protein meals, or grab our free Everyday Macros cookbook for even more healthy, satisfying recipes.