Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad combines elote (translated in English as "corn cob") lime, jalapeño, seasoning and Cotija cheese with the iconic creamy noodle salad often found at summer picnics and BBQs. Think "macaroni salad" with a jazzed up, slightly spicy, Tex-Mex twist!

What is Mexican Street Corn?

This street corn pasta salad recipe is a delicious fusion of street corn and (you guessed it) pasta salad. Whether you choose to use cob corn, roasted, canned or defrosted from frozen, this easy recipe is a family approved winner.

Corkscrew pasta works best for this creamy pasta corn salad. The deliciously tangy dressing clings to all the curvy noodle nooks and crannies.

Each forkful of this wonderful salad is filled with a flavor-filled sensation of tender cooked pasta, corn, diced jalapeño and onions, along with a simple and creamy, homemade dressing that's accented with a hint of lime.

A sprinkle of salty, creamy cotija cheese on top (much like feta) takes this Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe to the next level!

Why You'll Love It

Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

For a complete list with measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

• corkscrew pasta- rotini, cavatappi and fusilli work best
• light mayonnaise- Hellmann's or Duke's preferred; do not use Miracle Whip
• light sour cream- Daisy's or Breakstone's recommended
• taco seasoning- provides great flavor and a touch of color to the dressing (this is also much easier to find than tajin)
• salt & pepper
• lime- for preservative purposes and for flavoring
• corn- can be roasted, grilled, canned, or defrosted from frozen (I often use this last option for simplicity)
• red onion- finely diced
• jalapeño- seeded and finely diced; when you remove the seeds and membranes, you remove most of the heat. The jalapeño provides a nice color accent to the salad as well as a bit of crunch. If you're wary of the jalapeño, use poblano or bell peppers in its place
• crumbled cotija or feta cheese- find cotija cheese in the specialty cheese case; feta (which is more accessible) makes an excellent substitute

How to Make Street Corn Pasta Salad

For a more complete set of instructions, see the printable recipe card below.

1. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain in colander and allow to cool.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, seasonings and half of the lime juice.
3. Add the corn, diced onion and jalapeño; mix well.
4. Add half the cotija or feta cheese; mix.
5. Street Corn Pasta Salad can be enjoyed right away, but tastes better when it chills in the fridge for an hour.
6. Just before serving, add remaining lime juice and mix. Then sprinkle remaining cheese on top and serve.

Helpful Tips for this Recipe

• When making pasta salads, it's helpful to cook the noodles only to al dente. Noodles are like sponges and absorb dressings as they sit, which softens them further. If you overcook the noodles from the start, they will most likely fall apart in the salad.
• Finely dice the onion and jalapeño for easier eating. I like to reserve some additional jalapeño rounds to place on top to make it look pretty when I serve this salad.
• We add additional lime juice before serving to give the salad a more fluid and smooth consistency (the longer the salad sits, the less creamy it gets because the noodles absorb the dressing).

Storing Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Best enjoyed within 5 days (you may need to add some additional dressing or lime juice the longer it sits).

What to Serve with Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe

This corn pasta salad is a great side for grilled proteins and all your cookout favs.

For other cold picnic and BBQ sides, check out Creamy Avocado Zucchini Salad, English Cucumber Salad, Fire and Ice Tomato Salad, Mediterranean Bean Salad, and Cucumber Sour Cream Salad.

Another favorite pasta salad in Pepperoni Pasta Salad.

You can also serve this salad at a Cinco de Mayo party or on a Mexican meal night! It tastes delicious with Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas, Baked Chicken Taquitos, and Mexican Rainbow Coleslaw. Don't forget the Margarita Pie!

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