Description
A vibrant and zesty twist on Mexican street corn, this creamy street corn pasta salad combines pasta, charred corn, cotija cheese, and a tangy lime dressing. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or quick lunches.
Ingredients
12 oz elbow macaroni or rotini pasta
2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
Optional: jalapeño slices or hot sauce for heat
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and char the corn for 5–7 minutes if using fresh or frozen corn. Skip this step if using canned roasted corn.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, and half the cotija cheese to the bowl. Mix until evenly coated.
- Fold in chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice, salt, or spice as desired.
- Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Before serving, top with the remaining cotija cheese and optional jalapeño slices or hot sauce.
Notes
Use feta cheese if cotija is unavailable.
Greek yogurt can replace sour cream for a lighter version.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Great make-ahead dish—just add toppings before serving.
Can be made vegan with plant-based mayo, sour cream, and vegan cheese or nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
