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This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with corn, cotija and a deliciously tangy, creamy dressing that is the stuff dreams are made of. It’s quick and easy to throw together and is made up of mostly pantry ingredients that you’ve probably already got in your kitchen!
You’ll Love This
- The flavors are out of this world. The creamy dressing has just the right amount of tangy, lime flavor with a subtle hint of spice. It’s got enough mayo to give it some serious creaminess, but not so much that it feels heavy. Mix that with perfectly al dente pasta, corn, and fresh chopped cilantro and this is a side dish that dreams are made of!
- It consists of mainly pantry ingredients. This is one of those recipes where we pretty much have everything on hand at all times and can throw this salad together at a moment’s notice! Canned corn, pasta, mayo, sour cream, lime, chili powder – the only thing we sometimes don’t have is cotija cheese, in which case I’ll substitute queso fresco or feta cheese instead!
- It’s something new and different in the world of pasta salads. There is nothing wrong with a fun Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad Salad, Creamy Vegan Cucumber Pasta Salad, or a Cilantro Avocado Southwest Pasta Salad but this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is one of those dishes that your friends probably haven’t had before. Which makes it even more fun to share!
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool to room temperature. Or pop in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
Add sour cream, mayo, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
Mix until well combined.
Add pasta, corn, cotija, and cilantro to a large bowl.
Pour most of the dressing over the pasta.
Toss until everything is well coated.
Transfer to serving platter, drizzle with remaining dressing and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Tips
- Make sure you moderately salt the pasta water! Salting the pasta water is the first step in seasoning this dish and it’s going to do a lot to boost the flavor of the pasta itself. I recommend adding 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the boiling water before adding the uncooked pasta. You want the pasta water to be as salty as the sea, literally. Once you start salting your pasta water, you will never stop, I promise.
- Cook the pasta just until al dente. Nothing ruins a pasta salad quicker than mushy, overcooked pasta. I like to cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the lowest recommended cooking time on the package directions. So if the package recommends 9-11 minutes, I start (carefully) tasting the pasta after 8 minutes and pull it off the heat and strain it as soon as it’s al dente.
- If sweet corn is in season where you are, you can definitely use corn on the cob instead of canned corn! I’d recommend using about 2 cups total of freshly cut corn. There’s no need to cook the corn before adding it to the pasta salad. Freshly cut, uncooked corn from the cob is one of life’s greatest pleasures. OR if you have leftover grilled corn on the cob – cut it from the cob and use that!
- Feel free to add an extra can of corn or a can of black beans if you want to add more veggies to this dish! Sometimes I add extra corn AND black beans along with some thinly sliced kale to really bulk it up and make it more of a main dish salad.
- The dressing in this pasta salad will thicken as it sits. I would recommend dressing it just before serving, or if you’ll be enjoying this pasta salad a few hours after you make it, feel free to add a splash of lime juice or even milk to loosen things up.
What is Mexican Street Corn
- Mexican Street Corn, also known as Elote, is corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise or Mexican crema, then sprinkled with Cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh chopped cilantro. It’s a popular street food in Mexico and is served with the husk still attached so you have something to hang onto while you eat.
- My street corn pasta salad recipe is in no way meant to be an authentic version. This is very much a Midwestern twist on a Mexican classic. I have used some of the same flavors of Mexican street corn and translated them into a quick and easy pasta salad.
- My intention is always to honor the origins of the recipes that I am recreating. And I sincerely mean no harm by using Mexican recipes as inspiration for the recipes you may see here on Midwest Foodie.
- If you are looking for a traditional Elote recipe, here is a delicious one that you should definitely try!
Family Favorites
- Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Cilantro Avocado Southwest Pasta Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad
- Simple Tuna Pasta Salad
- Greek Chickpea Pasta Salad
- Tomato & Mozzarella Caprese Pasta Saad
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with corn, cotija and a deliciously tangy, creamy dressing that is the stuff dreams are made of. It’s quick and easy to throw together and is made up of mostly pantry ingredients that you’ve probably already got in your kitchen!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. rotini pasta
- olive oil for tossing pasta
- 2 (15 oz.) cans corn, drained
- 1/2 cup cotija or queso fresco cheese
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro + more for garnish
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- zest and juice of 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- a couple pinches cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool to room temperature. Or pop in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
- In a medium bowl combine sour cream, mayo, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
- Add pasta, corn, cotija, and cilantro to a large bowl.
- Pour most of the dressing over the pasta and toss until everything is well coated.
- Transfer to serving platter, drizzle with remaining dressing and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
Make sure you moderately salt the pasta water! Salting the pasta water is the first step in seasoning this dish and it’s going to do a lot to boost the flavor of the pasta itself. You want the pasta water to be as salty as the sea, literally. Once you start salting your pasta water, you will never stop, I promise.
Cook the pasta just until al dente. Nothing ruins a pasta salad quicker than mushy, overcooked pasta. I like to cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the lowest recommended cooking time on the package directions. So if the package recommends 9-11 minutes, I start (carefully) tasting the pasta after 8 minutes and pull it off the heat and strain it as soon as it’s al dente.
If sweet corn is in season where you are, you can definitely use corn on the cob instead of canned corn! I’d recommend using about 2 cups total of freshly cut corn. There’s no need to cook the corn before adding it to the pasta salad. Freshly cut, uncooked corn from the cob is one of life’s greatest pleasures. OR if you have leftover grilled corn on the cob – cut it from the cob and use that!
Feel free to add an extra can of corn or a can of black beans if you want to add more veggies to this dish! Sometimes I add extra corn AND black beans along with some thinly sliced kale to really bulk it up and make it more of a main dish salad.
The dressing in this pasta salad will thicken as it sits. I would recommend dressing it just before serving, or if you’ll be enjoying this pasta salad a few hours after you make it, feel free to add a splash of lime juice or even milk to loosen things up.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican/American
Keywords: elote pasta salad, street corn pasta salad, Mexican pasta salad
I made Mexican Street Corn Pasta salad last night and it was delicious! I put the salad on a bed of greens and added black beans. I didn’t have cotija so I used pepperjack and sharp cheddar. It was so easy and made plenty for leftovers. Dan loved it too. I think we have a new staple in the house!
Woohooooo! I am so glad you and Dan enjoyed this one, Emily! Thanks so much for leaving a review!! 🙂
This was delicious!! Added an extra can of corn because I love corn!! I will be making this again!
★★★★★
An extra can of corn would be delicious in this recipe! And a good way to bulk it up with veggies – great idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Carolyn! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Made this recipe as described, it’s in fridge cooling for tomorrow’s BBQ. Used 2 cans of corn drain and charred in a skillet. This is a relatively easy recipe to make.
Oooo – great idea to char the corn! That will add a delicious layer of flavor!! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Mary 🙂
Great idea on the corn!
Absolutely delicious! I tried this out for Memorial Weekend and it was a hit! I’ll be sure to save this recipe for future use!
★★★★★
Yayyyyy!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!! I am so glad that you enjoyed it too, Chelsea. Thanks for leaving a review!
Oh my goodness!! I am chowing down on a bowl of this as I type because I JUST CAN’T wait until company arrives!! This is such a great pasta salad…refreshing and delicious! I will definitely make this a regular for summer BBQs! Thank you!
★★★★★
Yessss! It’s always good for the chef to have a little taste before company arrives!! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Colleen. Thanks for leaving a review!
I made this with left overs. Chicken, corn, tomatoes, peppers. I changed the sour cream to Greek yogurt. It came out really good
Oh yum – this would be great with chicken! So glad you enjoyed and were able to customize it to use up leftovers!! 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review.
Made this tonight to go with some tamales. I used two ears of corn and roasted the corn in the oven with a little butter. I love all of the flavors! Thanks for such an easy summer side dish recipe!
Yummmmm!! This would be PERFECT with tamales! And mmmmm – roasted corn?!?! Seriously yum! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Karen!
This looks amazing!! Thank you for sharing!!
Of course! I hope you like it!
I made it for a picnic and it was amazing. I did two cans of corn that I charred, and more spices. Will definitely make again!
★★★★★
Charring the corn would add so much flavor! Great idea, Hope! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review!
Going to make this and realized I have cream corn, not regular canned corn… Do you think the cream corn would completely throw this recipe off?
Not at all!! I think creamed corn would be delicious in this recipe!! I think it would just make it a bit more creamy. Perhaps try either pouring off some of the cream from the corn or adding just half the dressing initially so you can control how creamy it gets! Hope you like it!!
Can I use frozen corn?
Sure! I think frozen corn would work just fine in this recipe! Just make sure you drain off any excess water.
Do you eat this warm or cold??
Cold! Although, I don’t think it’d be too bad warm either!! 🙂
I really liked this recipe! I added finely chopped Serrano peppers for some spiciness!
★★★★★
Ohhhh yum – serranos would be the PERFECT addition. Great idea Angie! Thanks so much for leaving a review! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
I made this for my family on Father’s Day and it was a HUGE hit. Someone else made a pasta salad too and no one was eating that one. Every single person was raving about it. I doubled the recipe because I was sure there would be enough but one serving would have been for us, I would also suggest maybe making a little more sauce as it seemed to dry out a bit during my travel time. Other than that, it was a perfect recipe and I will definitely be making this again!
I LOVE THIS! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!! If you’re planning to travel or enjoy the salad a bit later, definitely add a splash of lime juice or even milk just to loosen it up again. I will add this to the recipe notes as I think this is a helpful tip. Thanks so much for leaving a review, Colleen. I really appreciate it!!
Excellent salad and different approach to street corn. Family loved it and fought over the small leftover portion! I have shared this recipe with them too.
★★★★★
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Maureen! And that you shared it with your family 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!
This was so good!!! Was a huge hit with my family. But I used whole wheat pasta instead. And because we’re all lactose intolerant, I used Cremá, a Mexican sour cream and their cotija cheese. If you’ve ever had eloté from the “corn man” or “rainbow umbrella” whatever you call it, it tastes just like that. I even added tajín on top and it was amazing. My dads a meatlover so I cooked some ground turkey to add in.
★★★★★
Great substitutions! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Sassy! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
This Pasta salad is delicious!! I’m so happy with how it turned out I will surely make it Again!
★★★★★
I am so glad you enjoyed this pasta salad, Brittany. Thanks for leaving a review!!
I made this for a cookout where I knew we would be having Mexican style tacos, and thought-hey let’s give it a chance!
I used rainbow rotini because I like a bit more color in my food and played up the idea of Mexican street corn.
I followed the instructions, but thought it could use a little more dressing so I added an extra squeeze of mayonnaise.
The flavors really are great together.
I topped it with Cilantro and added in a shake of Goya Adobo with the blue cover and sprinkled some Tajín on top. I served this in a cute container with an ice pack under it to keep it cool since we were outside in Wisconsin’s Tropical summer. It was the hit of the party, besides the tacos…The kids asked their parents for seconds… and before I left early people filled their plates with more. I think next time I would use two cans of corn to give it more of an Elote vibe.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sara! Thanks so much for leaving a review!!
Delicious 🤤 and easy to make.
★★★★★
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Gaby! Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!
Great pasta salad! Made according to recipe and it was fabulous!!
★★★★★
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Jill. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Excellent recipe! I have switched it up with basil and cilantro, different cheeses, and various peppers and tomatoes. Such a versatile recipe, it’s now a summer standard!
★★★★★
WOOHOO! I am so glad that you’ve found this recipe delicious AND versatile! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Aubrey!
Quick and easy recipe that all enjoyed! I used fresh corn on the cob cooked in air fryer which brought sweetness to this dish. I also added diced poblano pepper, red onion, and celery for a little crunch! Will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Jillian! I love your adjustments and substitutions! Sounds delish 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review!
I made this for a family 4th of July get together and everyone loved it.
★★★★★
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Heather! It is one of our family’s favorites. Thanks for leaving a review!