Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad – this easy to make pasta salad recipe is loaded with flavor! Charred corn and pasta are tossed in a creamy chili-lime dressing and topped with cotija cheese and crispy bacon!
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This delicious pasta salad recipe has all the great flavors of the popular Mexican Corn on the Cob, also known as Mexican Street Corn or Elotes. Creamy, nutty and a bit smoky, this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is always a party favorite and a great dish to bring to your next potluck.
What is Mexican Street Corn?
If you have never had Mexican street corn (Elotes), you are totally missing out! Trust me you don’t actually have to walk the streets of Mexico to get one! Mexican corn is so easy to make at home.
Mexican street corn is simply grilled corn slathered in a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder and Cotija cheese. Sometimes a hot sauce is drizzled over for extra heat.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Ingredients
This is a list of the simple ingredients you need for these delicious Mexican Corn Pasta Salad. For the complete list with quantities, check the printable recipe card below.
This mouthwatering Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is made with simple ingredients. You can keep this pasta salad vegetarian by omitting the crispy bacon (although the bacon adds extra crunch and flavor.
- Roasted, toasted, charred or grilled corn
- Cooked pasta in any small shape
- Green onions (scallions)
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro (use parsley if you don’t like cilantro)
- Cotija cheese (queso fresco or feta cheese can be used)
- Crispy Bacon (optional but I highly recommended)
- Creamy Chili-Lime Dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream (Mexican crema can be used instead of sour cream), lime zest, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and cayenne pepper. If you don’t like spicy food omit the cayenne pepper.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Grilled or roasted/charred corn can be used for this recipe. Instructions for charring corn is provided on the recipe card or you can read all bout How To Roast Corn easily at home. In a pinch, use canned roasted corn, drained.
- In a bowl place the creamy chili lime dressing ingredients.
- Mix well to combined.
- Place all the pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour the chili lime dressing over the corn/pasta mixture.
- Mix to combine.
- Add the crispy bacon (optional), mix and serve. You can also let the salad sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. This will intensify the flavors of this easy pasta salad.
What is Cotija Cheese?
Cotija cheese is a hard and crumbly cow’s milk cheese. Feta cheese and queso fresco are good substitutions.
Is this a Make-Ahead Pasta Salad?
Yes, it is. Place the salad in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Is this Easy Pasta Salad spicy?
Not very spicy but it has a little heat. To make it mild, skip the cayenne pepper and remove the veins from the jalapenos.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for two cups of cooked pasta, that is about 2 ounces of dried pasta!
- This Bacon in the Oven recipe produces crispy bacon without any mess! Perfect to add it to this delicious pasta salad.
Take A Look At These Delicious Mexican Recipes:
- Mexican Three Bean Salad
- Mexican Green Chile Rice Casserole
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
- Charro Beans
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Tequila Lime Chicken
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Best Carne Asada
- Bloody Mary Flank Steak Marinade
Follow me on social media for more recipe ideas & inspiration! Pinterest Facebook Instagram My Newsletter
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Chili Lime Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Pasta Salad
- 2 (12-ounces) bags frozen corn or 5 to 6 ears of fresh corn
- 2 cups cooked pasta (any small shaped pasta)
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese cut into small cubes
- 6-8 strips bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped or crumbled (optional)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
TO PREPARE THE CORN (fresh or frozen)
METHOD #1: In a Cast Iron Skillet or Regular Skillet (frozen corn)
- Heat a 1 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the corn kernels in a single layer and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Stir and cook until the corn is charred. You may have to repeat this process until all the corn is nicely charred.
METHOD #2: On a grill (corn on the cob)
- Shuck and clean the corn. You don’t have to worry about removing every piece of silk as it will burn on the grill. Heat your grill to medium heat. Place the corn directly on the grill. Grill turning occasionally for about 10 minutes or until charred and cooked through.
To Make the Chili-Lime Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder and cayenne (if using). Whisk until well combined.
Make the Pasta Salad
- In a large bowl, mix the charred corn, the cooked pasta, green onions, jalapeño, cilantro and cheese.
- Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the corn/pasta mixture and toss well. Add the bacon and mix together. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later.
Video
Chef’s Tips
- Two cups of cooked pasta is about 2 ounces of dried pasta
- Place the salad in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
- Nutrition facts includes the bacon however, all nutrition facts are an estimate and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used.
Alexis Dias says
Hi! I just made this recipe for a picnic tomorrow. I made it early today and I’m afraid it’s already starting to look a little dry (I may have used too much pasta and corn). If I want to refresh it for tomorrow what should I add to it? More sour cream? Lime juice? Olive oil?
I’m so excited to share this with everyone tmrw, I tasted once it was finished and it’s delicious!!
Kathy says
Hi Alexis, I’m confident – everyone is going to love it! You can “refresh” the salad with any of the ingredients you mentioned. If you love a little kick of lime (I do), add some. Honestly, you could add a bit of olive oil and be completely fine or you could add sour cream, lime, oil and a bit of mayo and it will be perfect also! The flavors will still be balanced. On a lazy day, I go for mayo. Olive oil is also great but too much may make the salad greasy (I like to say slippery!) 😉
PS. Salads always dry up overnight. The pasta has been absorbing all the flavors (that’s a great thing), so rest assure, you did nothing wrong! xo
Rachel Rodarte says
I just finish making it, this is for the entire day, especially now that summer is here and I don’t really want turn on the stove, going to eat it with tostadas, and add more salad I love my food very spicy. I had to taste before posting this and I have to say, omg it’s so good.
Kathy says
Thank you Rachel! I am so happy to hear that. Spice it up girl!!!
Harmony Griffin says
This recipe is amazing!!! I couldn’t find cojita cheese, but I used a very sharp cheddar. Delicious! The jalapeno is perfectly spicy, but not overly so. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Kathy says
Thank you Harmony! Glad you liked it. Cheddar is always great!
Jen Chevallier says
I’m a little offended that you classify this as a side dish…I could eat it for a meal! It is the perfect blend of flavor and texture! And yes, it’s a great complement to a main course if that’s how you roll. 🙂
Kathy says
LOL Thank you! I could eat it as a main dish too! shhh don’t tell
Nancy S says
Made it yesterday for a cookout today. Loved it and got rave reviews. Only change was canned milf green chilis for jalapeños and feta for cojita (couldn’t find it). Thank-you!
Kathy says
Hi Nancy! I am so glad to hear that. Thank you for the feedback. I often use Feta cheese or queso fresco for the same reason. Thanks for the feedback.
Chris says
This recipe looks so yummy! Since we’re vegetarian, I’m thinking that instead of the bacon, I can use either sunflower seeds tossed with a little smoked paprika or tortilla chips crumbled on top. I can’t wait to try this
Kathy says
Sounds like a great idea! My little one is vegetarian so I often skip the bacon!
annabailey says
This was OUTSTANDING! I made only a couple of minor changes: I wanted this to be more of a corn dish rather than a pasta dish so I cut the pasta amount in half and increased the corn amount to 5. I also grilled the corn in their husks that gave it a wonderful smoky taste. I would recommend using another milder cheese or leaving it out all together. I also added a slight bit more of the mayo to bring it all together. All of my finicky eaters loved it! Plan to take for tailgating.This is a great side dish.
Kathy says
Thank you!!
Wendy says
I made this over the weekend and it was so good. Easy too. Making it again this weekend as requested by my hubby.
Christina says
Is this a side dish or a meal?
Kathy says
Both! Sometimes I have it as a meal but mostly a side dish with a protein.
Michele says
Holy yumminess! I made this for our baseball teams hot dog bbq…. I made a double batch and I still didnt have anything left for my lunch the next day. It was so good… I love side dishes that the whole family loves!!
Kathy says
I am so happy to hear that!! We never have any leftovers either! 🙂
Daliah says
I made this salad yesterday and it was a big hit ! Very flavorful and easy. Thank you
Martha says
Made this with gluten free noodles since I have celiac disease and it was awesome. Very refreshing and filling. Thank you!!
Kathy says
Thank you ! I am glad you enjoyed it!!
Terrie says
What kind of cheese is that and if I can’t fiND it, is there a substitute?
Kathy says
Hi Terrie! You can use queso fresco or feta cheese.
Sally says
I made this a couple of weeks ago and forgot to leave a comment. It was a big hit at my dad’s 60th birthday party. I followed the recipe exactly. We will be making it often.
Kathy says
Glad to hear! Thank you!!