Description
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a bright, creamy side that blends sweet corn, tangy lime, fresh cilantro, and a smoky mayo dressing with al dente pasta. Topped with crumbled Cotija cheese and a hint of chili powder, this dish captures the beloved flavors of street‑style elote in a portable, crowd‑pleasing salad. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or quick lunches, it offers a refreshing, flavorful bite that’s both easy to prepare and endlessly adaptable.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz short‑shape pasta (rotini or penne)
- 1 ½ cups sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente, drain and rinse under cold water.
- Prepare corn kernels, pat dry.
- Whisk mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, and salt to make dressing.
- In a large bowl combine pasta, corn, cilantro; pour dressing and toss.
- Sprinkle Cotija cheese and gently fold in.
- Chill 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For extra heat
- add diced jalapeño. Substitute Greek yogurt for half the mayo for a lighter version. Use whole‑wheat or gluten‑free pasta for dietary variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, easy summer side dish, elote pasta salad, lime corn pasta, quick pasta salad recipe, creamy corn pasta salad, Mexican pasta side, summer picnic recipes, how to make corn pasta salad