Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe
A cold, creamy, charred-corn pasta salad with cotija, lime, and just enough heat. Ready in 25 minutes, and always the first bowl to disappear.
by KC | July 26th 2026
My family will fight over a lot of things. What we watch, who used the last of the good tortillas, whose turn it is to unload the dishwasher. But put anything Mexican street corn in front of them and it goes quiet, because everyone is too busy eating.
Street corn is honestly one of the only things all four of my girls will eat without a single complaint. On the cob, in a dip, off the cob in a bowl, does not matter. So the day I turned it into a pasta salad, I knew it was either going to be a hit or a very expensive mistake. It was a hit. It disappeared before dinner even officially started.
This is the cold, creamy, charred-corn version I bring to every cookout now. It has the tangy lime, the salty cotija, the little kick of chili, and enough pasta to make it actually fill people up. It comes together in 25 minutes and costs about ten bucks to feed a crowd. Fair warning: you will be asked to bring it again.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
It tastes like elote, but you can make a big bowl of it and feed everybody.
No oven required. Boil pasta, char some corn, stir, done.
It travels. This is a bring-it-to-the-thing kind of dish that does not need reheating.
Cheap and filling. About $2 a serving, and the pasta stretches it.
Naturally vegetarian, and easy to turn into a full meal with chicken, shrimp, or black beans.
It actually gets better after it sits, so you can make it ahead.
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6 | Estimated cost: about $10 to 12 total (roughly $2 per serving)
INGREDIENTS
12 oz short pasta (rotini, shells, or cavatappi)
3 cups corn (about 4 ears fresh, or two 15 oz cans drained, or 1 lb frozen and thawed)
1 tbsp butter (for charring the corn)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream (or Mexican crema)
1 lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tbsp juice)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (divided)
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Tajin, for finishing
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the pasta. Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente per the package. Drain, then rinse under cold water until it is completely cool. Drain well. Do not skip the cold rinse, it is what keeps a pasta salad from turning into a gluey clump.
Char the corn. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn in a single layer and leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes so it can color. Stir and char another 3 to 5 minutes until you see real golden and blackened spots. Set it aside to cool.
Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Combine. Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, jalapeno, half the cotija, and most of the cilantro to the bowl. Fold everything together until the dressing coats it evenly.
Finish. Top with the remaining cotija, the rest of the cilantro, and a generous shake of Tajin. Serve right away, or chill 30 minutes for the flavors to come together.
FOOD SAFETY NOTE
This dressing is mayo and sour cream based, so keep it cold. Do not leave it sitting out longer than 2 hours, and no more than 1 hour if it is 90 degrees or hotter outside (a real thing at a North Carolina summer cookout). Cool your pasta and corn before you dress them so the salad does not sit warm and weep.
WHAT I TESTED SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
Rinsing the pasta. I skipped it once to save a step. Regret. Warm pasta drinks the dressing and turns pasty. Cold-rinsed pasta stays separate and the dressing actually coats it.
Charred vs raw corn. Raw corn is fine, but it tastes flat and skips the whole point of elote. The char is where the flavor lives. Worth the extra 5 minutes.
Cotija vs feta. Cotija is more traditional and has a milder salty bite. Feta works and is easier to find, just a touch tangier. Both are good, use what you can grab.
The dressing ratio. All mayo is heavy and one-note. Cutting it with sour cream and a real hit of lime keeps it creamy without tasting like a spoonful of mayonnaise.
Making it ahead. It is better after an hour in the fridge, but the pasta keeps soaking up dressing. I hold back a couple spoonfuls of dressing to stir in right before serving so it never looks dry.
VARIATIONS + EASY SWAPS
Make it a meal. Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or a drained can of black beans.
Swap the cheese. Feta or queso fresco stand in for cotija.
Turn up the heat. Leave the jalapeno seeds in, add a chopped serrano, or a few dashes of hot sauce.
Make it dairy-free. Use vegan mayo, skip the sour cream (add a little more mayo and lime), and leave off the cheese or use a dairy-free crumble.
Change the pasta. Elbows, shells, bowtie, or cavatappi all grab the dressing. Skip long noodles, they will not hold it.
Go smoky. Swap the chili powder for chipotle powder.
TIPS
Salt the pasta water like the sea. It is the only seasoning the pasta itself gets.
Rinse the pasta cold. Non-negotiable for pasta salad.
Let the corn get real color. Walk away from the pan and let it char.
Zest the lime before you juice it, way easier that way.
Reserve a little dressing to wake up leftovers before serving.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The cookout MVP next to burgers, brats, grilled chicken, or carne asada.
Bring it to the potluck. It travels well and needs zero reheating.
Pack it for meal-prep lunches through the week.
Serve it alongside tacos or fajitas to lean all the way into the Mexican flavors.
STORAGE, REHEATING, AND FREEZING
Fridge: Store airtight for 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving and add a spoonful of reserved dressing or a squeeze of lime to freshen it up.
Reheating: None needed. This one is served cold or at room temperature.
Freezing: Skip it. The mayo dressing separates and the pasta turns mealy after thawing. This is a fresh-batch situation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make it ahead? Yes, and it is actually better after 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge. Best within 24 hours. Hold back a little dressing to stir in right before serving.
Fresh, frozen, or canned corn? All three work. Charred fresh corn has the best flavor. If you use canned or frozen, drain and pat it dry first so it chars instead of steams.
What pasta holds up best? Short shapes with ridges or curves: rotini, shells, cavatappi, elbows. They grab the creamy dressing.
I can't find cotija. What do I use? Feta or queso fresco. Feta is the easiest to find and a little tangier.
Is this served hot or cold? Cold or room temperature. It is a pasta salad through and through.
How spicy is it? Mild as written with a seeded jalapeno. Leave the seeds in or add hot sauce for more.
Can I make it dairy-free? Yes. Use vegan mayo, skip the sour cream and cheese, and add a little extra lime.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing — the other cookout pasta salad that vanishes in twenty minutes.
Cold Sesame Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce — another no-cook, chilled noodle situation for hot days.
Taco Spaghetti (One-Pot Taco Dirty Spaghetti) — if the Mexican flavors are calling and you want a hot dinner version.
Saucy Spoon Co
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
A cold, creamy, charred-corn pasta salad with cotija, lime, and just enough heat.
Ingredients
- 12 oz short pasta (rotini, shells, or cavatappi)
- 3 cups corn (about 4 ears fresh, or two 15 oz cans drained, or 1 lb frozen and thawed)
- 1 tbsp butter, for charring the corn
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream (or Mexican crema)
- 1 lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tbsp juice)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (divided)
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Tajin, for finishing
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente per the package. Drain, then rinse under cold water until completely cool and drain well. Do not skip the cold rinse, it keeps the salad from turning into a gluey clump.
- Char the corn. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes so it can color. Stir and char another 3 to 5 minutes until you see golden and blackened spots. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Combine. Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, jalapeno, half the cotija, and most of the cilantro to the bowl. Fold together until the dressing coats everything evenly.
- Finish. Top with the remaining cotija, the rest of the cilantro, and a generous shake of Tajin. Serve right away, or chill 30 minutes for the flavors to come together.
Notes
Make ahead: Better after 30 to 60 minutes chilled, best within 24 hours. Hold back a spoonful of dressing to stir in right before serving so it never looks dry.
Storage: Airtight in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Do not freeze, the dressing separates and the pasta turns mealy.
Food safety: Keep chilled. Do not leave out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is 90 degrees or hotter outside.
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