Street Corn Pasta Salad
Street corn pasta salad is rotini pasta tossed with charred corn, Cotija cheese, and cilantro in a creamy mayo-sour cream dressing spiced with chili powder and cayenne pepper. It tastes like Mexican street corn mixed with pasta salad! Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, taco night, or when you want a unique side dish that disappears fast. Ready in 30 minutes, serves 8 people using simple ingredients.
This street corn pasta salad will spice up any potluck lineup!
Tired of the same dishes being passed around at every party? This Mexican-inspired pasta salad combines sweet crunchy corn kernels with creamy mayo and sour cream, then kicks it up with cayenne pepper and chili powder. Rotini pasta, charred corn, Cotija cheese, and cilantro all get tossed together for a deliciously creamy side dish.
I love serving this with juicy burgers, crispy fried chicken, or crunchy tacos. The combination of traditional street corn and pasta salad makes this fun and unique – a twist on two of my favorite dishes!
Make a batch and watch how quickly everyone asks you for the recipe. It tastes even better the next day after the flavors combine!
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Taco Pasta Salad – Mexican-inspired
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – Without the pasta
- BLT Pasta Salad – Bacon, lettuce, tomato
- Caprese Pasta Salad – Fresh mozzarella and basil
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Rotini Pasta – The curls hold the creamy dressing well. Substitute penne, shells, or elbow pasta.
Corn – I love the crunch fresh corn adds, but canned or frozen corn work too. Char it for that street corn flavor!
Mayo – I use Duke’s because it’s the creamiest. Use your favorite brand.
Sour Cream – Original or light both work. Mexican crema substitutes perfectly.
Cotija Cheese – Salty Mexican cheese. Substitute queso fresco or feta if you can’t find it.
Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is essential! Swap parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
Lime Juice – Fresh lime adds refreshing zest. Bottled lime juice from concentrate works too.
Chili Powder – This gives it a slightly smoky flavor that is perfect for Southwest or Mexican flavors.
Cayenne Pepper – Adds nice kick. Adjust to your heat preference.
Jalapeños – Optional for extra heat!
Green Chiles – Optional for even more spice.
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How To Make Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Cook rotini pasta to al dente according to package directions. Undercook by 1-2 minutes to keep it firm – it gets mushier once you add dressing. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly.
- Roast corn in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it gets dark brown charred spots. This adds that street corn flavor!
- Combine mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt in a large bowl. Add black pepper to taste. Mix until fully combined.
- Add cooled corn, cooled pasta, crumbled Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro to the dressing.
- Toss together until everything is well coated. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until chilled.
- Garnish with sliced green onions if desired. Serve cold!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir before serving to mix the dressing back up.
Not Freezer-Friendly: Don’t freeze this because of the pasta and veggies. They get mushy and release a bunch of water.
Make-Ahead: Prep all ingredients and store in separate containers in the fridge. Mix when ready to serve. This saves tons of time on party day!
Better the Next Day: This tastes even better the next day! The longer it chills, the creamier the dressing gets.
Best After 24 Hours: Chill for 24 hours before serving for the creamiest, most flavorful results.
Variations
Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free short pasta.
Vegan: Swap in plant-based mayo, cheese, and sour cream.
Extra Heat: Add diced jalapeños or canned green chiles.
Black Beans: Toss in black beans for protein and heartiness.
Different Cheese: Use queso fresco or feta instead of Cotija.
No Cilantro: Use chopped parsley if you hate cilantro.
Avocado: Add diced avocado right before serving.
Roasted Red Peppers: Dice and add for sweet smoky flavor.
More Lime: Add lime zest along with lime juice for extra citrus punch.
More Street Corn Recipes:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – Esquites without pasta
- Street Corn Wonton Cups – Fun appetizer presentation
- Elote Dip – Hot cheese dip version
- Street Corn Empanadas – Stuffed pastries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! For cold pasta salad, rinsing lowers the temperature quickly and stops the cooking so pasta doesn’t get soggy. It also washes away excess starch that causes clumping.
Yes! Substitute your favorite gluten-free short pasta.
Yes! Use plant-based mayo, cheese, and sour cream.
Up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It often tastes better the next day!
I don’t recommend it. The pasta and veggies don’t freeze well. They get mushy and release a bunch of water.
Yes! Prep all ingredients and store separately in the fridge. Mix when ready to serve.
Use queso fresco or crumbled feta cheese instead.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Undercook by 1-2 minutes to keep it firm. It gets mushy when you add dressing.
- Rinse cooked pasta with cold water to cool quickly and stop cooking.
- Char the corn in a hot skillet until it gets dark brown spots. That’s the street corn flavor!
- Use fresh corn for more crunch if you have it.
- Mix the dressing in a separate bowl first. Make sure it’s fully combined before adding to pasta.
- Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving. 24 hours is even better for creamiest dressing!
- This tastes better the next day after flavors combine overnight.
- Add jalapeños or green chiles if you want extra heat.
- Fresh lime juice adds the best refreshing zest, but bottled works too.
This Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe combines two favorites into one unique dish! Make it for your next potluck and watch it disappear.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 2 cups corn frozen canned or fresh corn
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Cotija cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add your pasta and cook to al dente. Cook 1-2 minutes under recommended time to avoid overcooking.
- Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
- In a large non-stick skillet roast the corn on medium-high heat until the corn starts to get dark brown spots and char.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, the juice of the lime, chili powder, cayenne pepper and garlic salt. Add pepper to taste.
- To the dressing mix add the cooled corn, cooled pasta, Cotija cheese, and cilantro.
- Toss together until everything is well combined.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until chilled.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Undercook by 1-2 minutes to keep it firm. It gets mushy when you add dressing.
- Rinse cooked pasta with cold water to cool quickly and stop cooking.
- Char the corn in a hot skillet until it gets dark brown spots. That’s the street corn flavor!
- Use fresh corn for more crunch if you have it.
- Mix the dressing in a separate bowl first. Make sure it’s fully combined before adding to pasta.
- Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving. 24 hours is even better for creamiest dressing!
- This tastes better the next day after flavors combine overnight.
- Add jalapeños or green chiles if you want extra heat.
- Fresh lime juice adds the best refreshing zest, but bottled works too.
Nutrition
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