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Mexican street corn pasta salad is everything you love about elote in an easy, 20-minute side dish. It’s loaded with roasted corn, spicy jalapeño, cheddar and Cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. Then it is all tossed in a creamy sour cream crema dressing with lime juice and chili powder. This is the pasta salad I make on repeat all summer long, and it disappears every single time.
If you love this street corn-inspired pasta salad, give my cheesy street corn dip a try, next!
Table of Contents
This street corn pasta salad recipe is a bit like a mash-up between my taco pasta salad and my Southwestern corn salad. It’s a creamy pasta salad filled with plenty of Tex-Mex spice, plus juicy roasted corn kernels with fresh herbs, onions, and cheese. I’m always making this salad as a side dish for Mexican-style dinners and game day parties, and it transports well for picnics and potlucks, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are some notes on the ingredients in this Mexican pasta salad. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the full recipe details.
- Pasta
- Roasted corn — Roasting corn gives it that smoky, char-grilled flavor that makes this taste like real Mexican street corn. You can roast it in the oven using my roasted corn avocado salsa method or use frozen corn that you’ve thawed and pan-charred.
- Red onion
- Cheese — I use both cubed cheddar (or Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack) and crumbled Cotija. Cotija is a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese that’s key to the street corn flavor. Feta is the best substitute if you can’t find it.
- Jalapeño — Finely chopped for a gentle heat in every bite. Swap in serrano for more spice, or poblano for something milder.
- Crema dressing — Sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and chili powder. Plain Greek yogurt can stand in for sour cream if needed.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried pasta
- 4 cups roasted corn
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
- ¼ cup Cotija cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional
Dressing
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional Ingredients
- 1 avocado, diced
- 4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, cook pasta as directed. Drain and let cool.8 oz dried pasta
- In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the dressing until well blended.½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayo, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder, Salt & pepper to taste
- In a large bowl mix together cooked pasta, corn, red onion, cheddar cheese and jalapeno. Toss with the dressing until everything is well coated. Add bacon and avocado if using.4 cups roasted corn, ¼ cup red onion, ½ cup cheddar cheese, 1 small jalapeno, 1 avocado, 4 strips of bacon
- Top with Cojita cheese and cilantro if desired.¼ cup Cotija cheese, 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
Notes
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Stir before serving; add a splash of lime juice if the dressing has thickened.
- Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta al dente in salted water, drain, rinse under cold water, and let it dry completely.
- Whisk together the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and pepper for the dressing.
- Combine the pasta, roasted corn, red onion, cheddar, and jalapeño in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over and toss to coat evenly. Add bacon and avocado if using.
- Top with Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready.
Recipe Tips and Add-Ins
- Cook pasta al dente. Slightly firm pasta holds up much better in a dressed salad. Overcooked pasta turns soft and mushy once it sits in the dressing.
- Dry the pasta before dressing. After rinsing under cold water, spread the pasta on a sheet pan or let it drain in a colander for a few minutes. Wet pasta dilutes the dressing and makes the salad watery.
- Char the corn. Roasting or pan-charring the corn before adding it to the salad is what gives this dish its authentic elote flavor. Don’t skip this step!
- Make it ahead. This salad actually gets better after 30 minutes in the fridge as the flavors meld. If making it the day before, hold back the Cotija and cilantro and add them right before serving.
- Add avocado just before serving. If you’re adding avocado, stir it in at the very end to keep it from browning.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Give it a good stir before serving — if it looks a little thick, add a small splash of lime juice or a spoonful of sour cream and toss again. I don’t recommend freezing this salad; cold pasta salads become watery and mushy after thawing.
Yes. Canned corn (drained and dried) works fine in a pinch. For the best flavor, though, dry the corn kernels thoroughly and char them in a hot skillet with a little oil until they pick up some color — this mimics the smoky, grilled flavor of traditional elote
Absolutely. You can make it up to 24 hours in advance. Store it dressed in the fridge, and add the Cotija cheese and cilantro right before serving so they stay fresh. The flavors actually improve as it sits.
Yes! You can use all sour cream or all plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayo. The dressing will be a bit tangier and lighter. Some readers also like adding a drizzle of olive oil instead.
Cotija is a firm, salty, crumbly Mexican cheese with a flavor similar to Parmesan or feta. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, crumbled feta is the closest substitute. Queso fresco also works, though it’s milder.
I make elote and elote dip all the time, so the pasta salad was very interesting to me. It’s so good! I’ll be making this a regular part of my Taco Tuesday rotation.
This Mexican street corn pasta salad combines all the flavors of elote into a simple side dish and so convenient
Brought this to a barbecue last weekend and there were no leftovers! Had several people ask me for the recipe. Thank you!