Mexican Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 2 ears fresh yellow corn, husked
• 10 oz dry elbow macaroni
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced, 1 1/2 cups
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 large avocado, semi-firm but ripe, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion, rinsed or 2/3 cup chopped green onion, or use a blend of both
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, full fat
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, fat free
• 2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup finely minced fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Directions

1. Heat your grill over medium-high until it’s around 450 degrees F. Add the corn once the grill is hot, and cook it until it’s charred all over, turning it about every 2 – 3 minutes; the whole thing should take about 8 – 9 minutes total. Move the corn aside to cool, then slice the kernels off the cobs.
2. While the corn cools, cook the pasta in lightly salted water, using about 1/2 Tbsp salt, until al dente according to the package directions. Drain it, rinse it, and let it drain again while it cools down.
3. Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, and cumin in a mixing bowl. Season it with salt and pepper to taste, about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to put the macaroni salad together.
4. If you want a little extra color on top, hold back a bit of the tomatoes, corn, avocado, and onion. In a salad bowl, toss the drained macaroni with the corn kernels, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, Cotija cheese, onion, and cilantro dressing. Scatter the reserved ingredients over the top.
5. Serve right away, or chill for up to 2 hours. If the salad thickens as it sits, since the noodles soak up the liquid, thin it with a little water if you’d like.