✔️ Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This flavorful pasta salad captures the bold, creamy, and slightly smoky taste of Mexican street corn (elotes). Bright lime, tangy Cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a creamy chili-lime dressing make this dish a crowd-pleaser—perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or easy weeknight sides.
🔎 What is Mexican Street Corn?
Mexican street corn, or elotes, is grilled or charred corn slathered with a creamy mixture—typically mayonnaise and/or sour cream—then seasoned with lime, cilantro, chili powder, and Cotija cheese. Sometimes hot sauce is added for extra heat. The flavors translate beautifully into a pasta salad when combined with cooked pasta and fresh ingredients.
✔️ Ingredients
Below are the main ingredients. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
This pasta salad is simple to make and easy to adapt. Leave out the bacon to keep it vegetarian, or add it for an extra crunchy, savory element.
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Charred or roasted corn (fresh, frozen, or canned roasted corn)
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Cooked small-shaped pasta
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Green onions (scallions)
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Jalapeño (seeded if you prefer less heat)
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Cilantro (or parsley if you dislike cilantro)
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Cotija cheese (or feta/queso fresco)
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Crispy bacon, optional
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Chili-lime dressing: mayonnaise, sour cream or Mexican crema, lime zest and juice, garlic, chili powder, and optional cayenne for heat
🔎 How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
You can use grilled corn on the cob, charred pan-roasted corn, or canned roasted corn in a pinch. Char the corn for smoky flavor, then combine everything for a creamy, tangy salad.
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Prepare the chili-lime dressing: whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream (or crema), minced garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder, and cayenne if using.
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In a large bowl, combine charred corn, cooked pasta, sliced green onions, chopped jalapeño, cilantro, and Cotija cheese.
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Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss to coat evenly.
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Add crispy bacon if desired, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Chilling the salad for a couple of hours helps the flavors meld.
🔎 What is Cotija Cheese?
Cotija is a firm, crumbly Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. If you can’t find Cotija, feta or queso fresco are suitable substitutes, offering a similar salty, tangy finish.
🔎 Make-Ahead and Storage
This salad keeps well. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. If you plan to store it, consider keeping the bacon separate until serving to preserve its crispness.
🔎 Spice Level
The salad has a mild kick from chili powder and jalapeño. To reduce heat, omit cayenne and remove the jalapeño seeds and ribs.
Tips
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Two cups of cooked pasta is roughly 2 ounces of dried pasta—measure accordingly.
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Cooking bacon on a sheet pan in the oven yields evenly crisp strips with minimal cleanup.
Recipe Highlights
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Prep time: about 15 minutes
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Cook time: about 5 minutes (plus time to char corn)
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Makes about 8 servings
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Chili Lime Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Pasta Salad
- 2 (12-oz) bags frozen corn or 5–6 ears fresh corn
- 2 cups cooked small-shaped pasta
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, cubed or crumbled
- 6-8 strips bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
To Prepare the Corn (fresh or frozen)
- For frozen corn: heat a skillet over medium-high, add corn in a single layer and cook without stirring for a few minutes to char. Stir and repeat until evenly charred.
- For corn on the cob: shuck and grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs.
Make the Chili-Lime Dressing
- Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream (or crema), minced garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder, and cayenne (if using) until smooth.
Assemble the Pasta Salad
- In a large bowl, combine charred corn, cooked pasta, green onions, jalapeño, cilantro, and Cotija cheese.
- Pour dressing over the mixture and toss to coat. Stir in bacon if using. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Notes
- Two cups cooked pasta ≈ 2 ounces dried pasta.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
- Nutrition shown is an estimate and may vary with brands and substitutions.
Nutrition
, Carbohydrates: 11 g
, Protein: 5 g
, Fat: 22 g