Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a vibrant twist on classic elote, blending grilled corn, tender pasta, fresh veggies, cotija cheese, and a creamy lime dressing. This delicious pasta salad is a zesty and satisfying dish perfect for any occasion!
Elote Pasta Salad
Give me all things elote or Mexican street corn please! We love adding this simple side dish to many of our Tex-Mex recipes and have noticed many of our family members making it too. Join in on the fun and deliciousness!
We like adding plenty of spice to our street corn so I go heavy on the jalapeño. No surprise, right? As long as you have a nice chilled margarita, you’ll be ok. Our Skinny Margaritas are our fave but these Pineapple Coconut Margaritas are a close second!
Is elote the same thing as Mexican Street Corn? Yes, they generally refer to the same dish. However, the term “Mexican street corn” is often used in English-speaking countries, while “elote” is the traditional Spanish term used in Mexico.
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE RECIPE – This recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together pretty quickly. You can also easily double it for large groups!
- FULL OF FLAVOR – If you love Mexican street corn, you’re going to love the flavor of this salad. It’s street corn meets pasta – the best of both worlds!
- GREAT SIDE DISH – This side dish is perfect for any grilled meats or tacos. It’s also a great side for summer gatherings when you can grill the corn on your outdoor grill.
What You’ll Need:
- Pasta
- Fresh Corn
- Jalapeno
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Cotija Cheese
- Salt and Pepper
- Greek Yogurt
- Mayonnaise
- Seasonings
- Lime
NOTE: We love lots of jalapeños in the salad. But if you don’t love spicy foods, just remove the seeds and the rind from the jalapeño or use half of the pepper.
How to make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad:
Step 1
Grill corn. Grill corn on either an indoor or outdoor grill until slightly charred. Let cool slightly and then slice the corn off the cobs.
If grilling indoors, add a drizzle of olive oil before grilling the corn.
Step 2
Cook pasta. Boil pasta according to package directions, or until al dente. Use plenty of salt to flavor the pasta. Drain pasta and let cool.
Step 3
Make dressing. Add dressing ingredients to a measuring cup – the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, seasonings, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir until well combined.
Step 4
Combine salad ingredients. Add the pasta salad ingredients to a serving bowl – grilled corn, cooked pasta, diced jalapeño, sliced red onions, chopped cilantro, and cotija cheese. Toss salad.
Step 5
Add dressing to street corn salad. Add the salad dressing to the street corn pasta salad and stir well to combine.
Step 6
Serve. Serve pasta salad with an extra squeeze of lime juice and freshly ground black pepper. Add some extra cotija cheese and cilantro – and enjoy.
What to serve with Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad:
- Grilled Proteins – Serve with grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or other grilled meats. We love chicken or steak with our Mexican Marinade.
- This salad goes well with burgers. Try our Goat Cheese Burgers, Green Chile Turkey Burgers, or Grilled Salmon Burger Recipe.
- Add it to your Taco Tuesdays! Pair this street corn salad with Shrimp Taco Bowls, Taco Crunch Wraps, Fajita Taco Salad, or Walking Taco Casserole.
Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Add extra dressing if needed as the pasta may soak up some of it as it sits.
Recipe FAQs:
Short pasta like rotini, penne, farfalle, or macaroni works best because it holds the dressing and toppings well.
Frozen or canned corn can be used but fresh is much tastier, in our opinion.
Yes, diced bell peppers or cherry tomatoes are great additions.
Add extra chopped jalapeños, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce for heat. (But this is quite spicy as it reads.)
Other Street Corn Recipes:
We love everything street corn! Try one of the following recipes next.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 oz. pasta
- 4 ears fresh corn – husked and cleaned
- 1 large jalapeño (SEE NOTE BELOW) – diced (with or without seeds)
- 1/3 cup red onion – sliced
- 1/3 cup cilantro – minced (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese
- kosher salt and ground black pepper – to taste
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise – I use a lighter version with olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder
- 1 large lime – zested and juiced
Instructions
- Grill corn. Grill corn on either an indoor or outdoor grill until slightly charred. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool slightly and then slice the corn off the cobs.If grilling indoors, add a drizzle of olive oil before grilling the corn.
- Cook pasta. Boil pasta according to package directions, or until al dente. Use plenty of salt to flavor the pasta. Drain pasta and let cool.
- Make dressing. Add dressing ingredients to a measuring cup – the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, seasonings, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir until well combined.
- Combine salad ingredients. Add the pasta salad ingredients to a serving bowl – grilled corn, cooked pasta, diced jalapeño, sliced red onions, chopped cilantro, and cotija cheese. Toss salad.
- Add dressing to street corn salad. Add the salad dressing to the street corn pasta salad and stir well to combine.
- Serve. Serve pasta salad with an extra squeeze of lime juice and freshly ground black pepper. Add some extra cotija cheese and cilantro – and enjoy.
Notes
- ** We love lots of jalapeños in the salad. But if you don’t love spicy foods, just remove the seeds and the rind from the jalapeño or use half of the pepper.
- Short pasta like rotini, penne, farfalle, or macaroni works best because it holds the dressing and toppings well.
- Frozen or canned corn can be used but fresh is much tastier, in our opinion.
- Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Add extra dressing if needed as the pasta may soak up some of it as it sits.