Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe

Closeup on a bowl of Mexican street corn pasta salad with lime slices.

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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe

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!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Mexican street corn pasta salad, street corn

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 377kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

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.
4 ears fresh 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.
8 oz. pasta
Make dressing. Add dressing ingredients to a measuring cup - the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, seasonings, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir until well combined.
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, 1 large lime, kosher salt and ground black pepper
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.
1 large jalapeño (SEE NOTE BELOW), 1/3 cup red onion, 1/3 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup cotija cheese
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.

Nutrition