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Mexican street corn pasta salad in a bowl from the top view.
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5 from 20 votes

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe

This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is bursting with the flavors of fresh summer corn, jalapenos, red onion, and a creamy chili lime dressing. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's the perfect dish for feeding a crowd!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Corn:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 6 ears corn – Husks removed - approximately 4 ½ to 5 cups of corn kernels or frozen or canned corn (see notes below)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Pasta:

  • 8 oz. dry uncooked pasta such as fusilli and farfalle (bowtie pasta)

For The Creamy Dressing:

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream or Mexican crema
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest from one lime (optional)
  • ¼ cup lime juice freshly squeezed from 1 ½ to 2 limes
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Salad:

  • 2 medium jalapeno seeded and sliced/chopped
  • ½ cup red onion chopped finely
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped – more to use as garnish
  • ½ cup cotija cheese crumbled

Instructions

  • When it comes to cooking the corn, you have two options:
    Grill Corn: Heat a gas grill to 400 degrees F. Peel back the husks of the corn and remove the silk. Brush them with the oil on all sides. Place them on the grill and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until lightly charred, turning them every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. Let it cool for a few minutes, and then cut the corn kernels from the cob using a sharp knife.
    Cook it in a skillet: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil (or butter) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels from the cob. Transfer them to the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes or until slightly caramelized and charred in spots.
  • Cook the pasta: While the corn is cooling, season a big pot of water with a generous amount of salt and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Transfer the now-cooked pasta to a large bowl.
  • Add the now-cooked corn into the same bowl.
  • Make the Mexican Corn Dressing (Chili Lime Dressing): In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, keeping in mind that the cotija cheese for garnish is slightly salty.
  • Assemble the roasted corn pasta salad: Drizzle the dressing over the corn and pasta and toss to ensure they are evenly coated. Add in the jalapenos, onion, and cilantro. Stir to combine and garnish with chopped cilantro, if using. Taste your elote corn pasta salad for seasoning and add more if necessary.

Video

Notes

  • Yields: This recipe makes about 6-8 cups of pasta salad (the shape of the pasta you are using will change the volume), which is ideal for 6 servings. The nutritional values below are per serving.
  • What if I don’t have fresh corn? While I am a big fan of any pasta salad with fresh corn, to make this recipe year-round and still get that sweet corn flavor, you can use canned or frozen corn in place of the fresh. If you decide to do so, you can use:
    • Canned corn: For this recipe, you will need 3 (15 oz) cans of drained and rinsed corn.
    • Frozen corn kernels: You will need three (10 oz) bags. I like this option because the corn kernels are already off the cob, which saves you a step. Even better, there is no need to thaw. Simply add 1-2 minutes extra cooking time when sauteing the frozen corn in a skillet.
  • Be sure to salt the pasta water: Salting the cooking water allows the pasta to absorb some salt as it cooks, enhancing its flavor from the inside out so do not skip this step.
  • Toss while it is still warm: I know it's tempting to add everything to the bowl and simply drizzle with dressing, but we've discovered that tossing the dressing with the corn and pasta while they're still slightly warm allows them to better absorb the tangy, spicy flavors.
  • Serve it cold or warm: Like most pasta salads, this Mexican corn pasta salad can be served at room temperature, warm or cold. 
  • Make-Ahead: You can make this fresh corn pasta salad a day in advance. Simply assemble the pasta salad, but do not garnish with the cotija cheese or cilantro. Bring it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container. On the day you are going to serve, give it another gentle toss and let it come to room temperature. Add the cotija cheese and cilantro right before serving.
  • To Store Leftovers: Bring your Mexican pasta salad to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. As long as it is kept in the fridge, it should be good for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg

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