Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with charred corn, Cotija cheese, and fresh jalapeños and is tossed in a creamy spiced cilantro lime dressing. It’s the perfect salad for summer potlucks and Cinco de Mayo!
About This Pasta Salad
This crowd-pleasing potluck side dish is essentially Mexican elote in pasta salad form. If you’re unfamiliar with elote, it’s grilled corn that’s slathered with either mayo or crema, then topped with lime juice, Cotjia cheese, and chili powder.
This street corn pasta salad boasts the same creamy, tangy, spicy, and salty flavors as Mexican elote — minus the grill!
I wanted to make this recipe as easy and accessible as possible, so know up front that you can make this recipe without an outdoor grill. The recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, and it feeds a crowd.
Bring a batch of Mexican street corn pasta salad to your next potluck or pool party, or serve alongside your favorite grilled protein this summer.
Tools You’ll Need
You’ll want to have the following kitchen tools on hand to make the charred corn pasta salad:
- Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife: For preparing the veggies.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For measuring the salad and dressing ingredients.
- Citrus Juicer: For juicing the limes. (Here’s how to get the most juice from your limes.)
- Microplane: Great for zesting citrus fruits like limes.
- Garlic Press: Optional, but it makes mincing garlic quick and painless.
- Cast Iron Skillet: My preferred type of skillet for charring the corn. Any heavy-bottomed skillet may be used, however.
- Serving Bowl: For assembling the pasta salad.
Recipe Ingredients
This Mexican corn pasta salad is loaded with flavors and textures galore! Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Pasta (Any Shape)
- Fresh Corn
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh Jalapeños
- Red Onions
- Scallions
- Cotija Cheese (or Feta)
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Lime Juice and Zest
- Chili Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Fresh Cilantro
- Salt and Pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this recipe for elote pasta salad, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
If you’ve made a more traditional pasta salad in the past, you can certainly handle this street corn version!
- Cook the pasta: Follow the package instructions and cook just until al dente, then drain.
- Char the Corn: Add the corn (cut off the cob) to a buttered skillet. Cook over medium heat until charred. Add the garlic in the final minute of cooking.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
- Assemble the salad: To a serving bowl, add the pasta, corn, jalapeño, red onion, and scallions. Toss with the dressing until everything is coated evenly. Top with the Cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.
The above is simply a quick summary of this street corn pasta salad. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Recipe Tips
- Use any pasta shape you like. Short and sturdy pasta shapes typically work best in pasta salads (elbow, farfalle, penne, etc.). Use regular or gluten-free, depending on your dietary needs.
- Cool the pasta completely before adding. If added while it’s still warm, it will absorb too much dressing.
- Cook the corn until blackened and charred. This will deliver the best flavor and really make the pasta salad taste like elote!
- For added protein, you may add a can of drained black beans and/or chopped grilled chicken.
Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can this recipe be made with grilled corn?
Yes! If you have an outdoor grill, you can also grill the corn on the cob if you prefer and cut the kernels once charred.
Can this recipe be made with frozen or canned corn?
If you don’t have fresh corn, use approximately 3 heaping cups of canned or frozen corn instead.
If using canned corn, take care to drain, rinse, and pat dry before cooking. If using frozen corn, thaw and pat dry before cooking.
What is Cotija cheese? Can I substitute it?
Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese made from cows’ milk. It is white, crumbly, and salty. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, feta cheese is a good substitute.
Can the sour cream be substituted?
Sour cream in the recipe can be substituted with Greek yogurt.
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
Parts of this street corn pasta salad recipe may be prepped in advance. I don’t recommend assembling the entire salad ahead of time because the pasta will soften as it sits in the creamy dressing.
- Corn: Can be charred and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Cook the corn ahead of time and store in fridge
- Dressing: Can be whisked together and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container.
- Other Veggies: Can be chopped and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Street Corn Pasta Salad Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Do not freeze
What to Serve with Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Pair this elote pasta salad with your favorite Mexican-inspired mains and sides! We love this pasta salad with the following:
- Mains: Crockpot Mexican Chicken, Chicken Tacos, Mushroom Fajitas, Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wraps, Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken.
- Sides: Cilantro Lime Slaw, Simple Guacamole, Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw, Black Bean Salad.
- Drinks: Lemon Margaritas, Strawberry Agua Fresca, Pineapple Margaritas.
Try Making Street Corn Pasta Salad at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a unique pasta salad recipe, give this street corn version a try!
Did you love the smoky flavor of the charred corn? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your elote corn pasta salad!
More Potluck Salad Recipes:
Macaroni Salad is a classic summertime recipe that you’ll find at almost every picnic! This recipe has a basic macaroni salad base recipe along with lots of ideas for salad mix-ins. Keep it traditional, or get creative!
This Pearl Couscous Salad is ready in less than 30 minutes and packed with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s an easy side dish for spring and summer entrees like grilled chicken, steak, fish, and more!
Summer Potlucks and BBQs don’t seem complete without a big bowl of this Classic Potato Salad. Creamy mayo, celery, onion, hard-boiled eggs, and of course plenty of potatoes make up this recipe.
This easy Black Bean Salad is packed with some of my favorite ingredients: black beans, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, and more! Then, this great side dish is tossed with a zesty lime dressing that’s full of flavor.
This Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad is bursting with so many summery flavors and textures. A blend of herbs adds even more freshness to the salad, and the tangy red wine vinaigrette complements all the veggies perfectly!
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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with charred corn, Cotija cheese, and fresh jalapeños and is tossed in a creamy spiced cilantro lime dressing. It’s the perfect salad for summer potlucks and Cinco de Mayo!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 12 ounces pasta (any kind)
- 6 ears fresh corn, shucked
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and finely diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 4 scallions, finely diced
- 2 cups Cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta)
For the dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- zest of 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for topping
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions (usually 9-11 minutes) drain and set aside to cool.
Cooking the Corn:
- Meanwhile, add the butter to a non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet set over a medium heat.
- When the butter has melted and is sizzling, add the corn. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the corn is beginning to char.
- Add the minced garlic to the corn and cook for 1 minute further or until fragrant then remove from the heat.
Making the dressing:
- In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder and smoked paprika. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large serving bowl add the pasta, corn, jalapeño, onion and scallions.
- Pour over the dressing and mix very well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with the Cotija or feta cheese and chopped cilantro. You can also sprinkle over a little extra paprika for a pop of color.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Corn: If you don’t have fresh corn, use approximately 3 heaping cups of canned or frozen corn. If using canned: drain, rinse, and pat dry before cooking. If using frozen: thaw and pat dry before cooking.
Cotija: Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese made from cows’ milk. It is white, crumbly and salty. If you can’t find it in the store, feta cheese is the most similar and a good substitute.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 758mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 15g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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