Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This easy creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe is the best summer side dish to bring to a BBQ or party. It’s packed with sweet corn kernels and dressed in a creamy sour cream and mayo-based dressing with a hint of chili and a splash of lime. A great make-ahead pasta salad!
I’ve created an easy twist on Mexican Street corn that’s off the cob, making it perfect for summer parties, BBQs, potluck events, and more. It’s a creamy and summer pasta side dish that complements any main course beautifully. This Mexican pasta is a fantastic choice for any time of the year.
This recipe uses homemade mayonnaise, which only takes minutes to prepare. I’d love for you to try it and see for yourself how simple it is to make as it really adds a great flavor making it the absolute best Mexican street corn salad out there!
🌽 Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Corn Kernels: These can be straight from the cob that you grill or you can take a shortcut and purchase frozen corn kernels.
- Rotini Pasta: Rotini pasta is the perfect shape to hold all the creamy flavors of street corn. You could also try this with gluten free pasta.
- Mayonnaise: Makes the macaroni creamy and holds in all the flavors.
- Sour Cream: Another piece of the puzzle that adds a creamy and slightly tangy flavor.
- Lime Juice: This will add an acidity that goes well in Mexican cooking.
- Red Onion: Gives the pasta salad flavor.
- Crumbled Cotija: A Mexican crumbly cheese that is slightly dry and salty.
- Chili Powder: Adds a spicy kick.
- Cilantro: Adds a freshness to the dish.
- Garlic, Salt & Pepper: To bring out all the flavors in any pasta salad.
📖 How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
1️⃣ Prepare The Corn: If you’re using ears of corn, grill them over medium high heat for a few minutes on each side until slightly charred. Once cooled, use a knife to shave off the corn kernels. If you’re using frozen corn kernels, heat up as directed on the package.
2️⃣ Cook The Pasta: Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Make sure the pasta is al dente meaning it’s slightly under cooked. This will hold up better in pasta salad. You can achieve this by subtracting 2-3 minutes of cooking time and running it under cold water to stop the cooking process once it’s finished.
3️⃣ Make The Creamy Pasta Salad Sauce: In a large bowl, add in mayo, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder, whisk until everything is fully combined.
4️⃣ Toss It All Together: To the bowl with the sauce, add in corn, cooled pasta, diced red onion and cilantro. Toss everything together until fully combined. Top with crumbled Mexican cheese.
🧑🍳 Chef’s Tips
- Make sure to add salt to the water when you are cooking your pasta. This will help flavor the dried pasta which will add flavor to your dish.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients as well as spices for the dressing in a separate bowl and then fold it into the street corn ingredients. That way you get an ultra-creamy texture to the pasta salad.
- You can use roasted corn to enhance the sweetness of the corn and add additional flavor to the dish. This is optional but I do recommend trying it out.
- Ensure all the onions and the cilantro are finely chopped so it is evenly spread out in the salad so each bite you get a nice mix of flavor in each bite. If you leave it in larger chunks it will affect the flavor of the salad.
- You can add additional cheese to the top of the pasta salad right before serving for a better texture to the salad and presentation value.
🔁 Flavor Variations and Add-Ins
- Vegan: Use a dairy-free alternative for the sour cream and mayonnaise in the recipe. Then you will want to opt for nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese in replace of the Cotija cheese.
- With Black Beans: Rinse and drain off liquid from a can of canned beans. Then mix in the salad for added protein and fiber.
- Gluten-Free: If you need a gluten-free side dish, then opt for your favorite gluten-free pasta. Just make sure the rest of the ingredients are gluten-free.
- Without Mayo: You are more than welcome to skip the mayo in this recipe. Reach for Greek yogurt or even mashed avocado in replace of the mayonnaise. You just want to have that creamy texture to mix in the base of the salad.
- With Chicken: Add some shredded chicken, diced-up rotisserie chicken, or even drained canned chicken. This will add more flavor and texture to the salad.
- Pasta Options: Feel free to play around with pasta to create your twist to the salad. Penne, bowtie, fusilli, or any other shape of pasta works. Just cook the pasta as directed on the package and rinse in cold water after it is cooked through.
- Cheese Options: The cheese is optional, but feel free to change it up. Cotija cheese is a great alternative or even feta. Or you can reach for parmesan for a more tangy pairing. Feel free to use any style of cheese you would like. Even a shredded mozzarella would be a great addition.
- Corn options: Sweet, roasted, grilled, or thawed frozen corn are all great options. Using roasted corn will add even more flavor to the dish. You can cut corn right off the cob or drain and reach for canned corn.
Storing & Making Ahead
Storing: You can store the salad in the fridge in a sealed container for 4-5 days. Just make sure to stir well as the pasta can soak up the sauce.
Make Ahead: Feel free to make this salad in advance. Just prepare as directed and then cover and store in the fridge in a sealed container. Before serving toss well and then top with additional cheese.
🏖️More Summer Salad Recipes
- Asian Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Shredded BBQ Chicken Salad
- Cucumber Dill Salad
Creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Corn Kernels can be from frozen
- 12 oz Rotini Pasta
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Red Onion small dice
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- ½ cup Cotija Cheese crumbled
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Prepare The Corn: If you’re using ears of corn, grill them over medium high heat for a few minutes on each side until slightly charred. Once cooled, use a knife to shave off the corn kernels. If you’re using frozen corn kernels, heat up as directed on the package.
- Cook The Pasta: Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Make sure the pasta is al dente meaning it’s slightly under cooked. This will hold up better in pasta salad. You can achieve this by subtracting 2-3 minutes of cooking time and running it under cold water to stop the cooking process once it’s finished.
- Make The Creamy Pasta Salad Sauce: In a large bowl, add in mayo, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder, whisk until everything is fully combined.
- Toss It All Together: To the bowl with the sauce, add in corn, cooled pasta, diced red onion and cilantro. Toss everything together until fully combined top with crumbled Mexican cheese.
Notes
Flavor Variations and Substitutions
- Let me share a handful of ways to change up this Mexican corn pasta salad to create different flavor variations to fit your preference.
- Vegan: Use a dairy-free alternative for the sour cream and mayonnaise in the recipe. Then you will want to opt for nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese in replace of the Cotija cheese.
- With Black Beans: Rinse and drain off liquid from a can of canned beans. Then mix in the salad for added protein and fiber.
- Gluten-Free: If you need a gluten-free side dish, then opt for your favorite gluten-free pasta. Just make sure the rest of the ingredients are gluten-free.
- Without Mayo: You are more than welcome to skip the mayo in this recipe. Reach for Greek yogurt or even mashed avocado in replace of the mayonnaise. You just want to have that creamy texture to mix in the base of the salad.
- With Chicken: Add some shredded chicken, diced-up rotisserie chicken, or even drained canned chicken. This will add more flavor and texture to the salad.
- Pasta Options: Feel free to play around with pasta to create your twist to the salad. Penne, bowtie, fusilli, or any other shape of pasta works. Just cook the pasta as directed on the package and rinse in cold water after it is cooked through.
- Cheese Options: The cheese is optional, but feel free to change it up. Cotija cheese is a great alternative or even feta. Or you can reach for parmesan for a more tangy pairing. Feel free to use any style of cheese you would like. Even a shredded mozzarella would be a great addition.
- Corn options: Sweet, roasted, grilled, or thawed frozen corn are all great options. Using roasted corn will add even more flavor to the dish. You can cut corn right off the cob or drain and reach for canned corn.
Storing & Making Ahead
- Storing: You can store the salad in the fridge in a sealed container for 4-5 days. Just make sure to stir well as the pasta can soak up the sauce.
- Make Ahead: Feel free to make this salad in advance. Just prepare as directed and then cover and store in the fridge in a sealed container. Before serving toss well and then top with additional cheese.
