Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta salad featuring charred corn, lime, and spices for a fresh summer side dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed)
03 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

07 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise (approx. 3 fl oz)
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream (approx. 3 fl oz)
09 - ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 lime, zested and juiced
12 - 1 tsp chili powder
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground cumin
15 - Salt, to taste
16 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

17 - Extra cotija cheese
18 - Additional cilantro
19 - Lime wedges
20 - Chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, drain, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté corn kernels dry or with minimal oil until slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, minced garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions with the dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and modify seasoning if necessary to balance flavors.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with extra cotija, cilantro, chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer tastes—bright, creamy, and unapologetically bold.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes and it actually improves if you make it ahead.
  • People keep asking for the recipe because it doesn't taste like "pasta salad," it tastes like something you figured out yourself.
02 -
  • Cold pasta needs extra dressing—as it cools, the pasta absorbs moisture and flavors fade, so don't be shy when you're tossing.
  • If you make this the day before, the flavors actually deepen, but stir it well before serving because the dressing settles.
03 -
  • Pat the cooled pasta completely dry before mixing—wet pasta dilutes the dressing and makes everything taste washed out.
  • Use a lime zester or microplane if you have one; the zest adds a texture and oil that you can't replicate with a box grater, and it tastes noticeably brighter.
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