Name: Perfect Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 12 oz rotini pasta; 2 cups corn kernels (grilled or charred); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; Salt and black pepper to taste

Let’s Talk About the Time I Fell in Love With This Dish

Okay, picture this: summer BBQ, mosquitoes the size of small birds, and me standing by the grill with way too much corn on the cob (because apparently I can’t count heads when shopping hungry). That’s when I stumbled into this Perfect Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. It wasn’t even planned. I was just tossing leftovers into a bowl, mostly to avoid another guilt trip from my fridge later. Honestly, I always thought pasta salads were a bit…boring? But this one’s different—it’s got zing, crunch, and a whole lot of cheesy magic. Also, quick confession—I used to hate mayo. Now I just sneak it in and pretend it’s ‘crema’ and my family can’t tell the difference.

Why You’ll Love It (Or, Why My Family Actually Eats This)

I make this when my brain wants elote but my post-work energy level wants to just chuck everything in a bowl. My family goes bonkers for this salad—maybe it’s the smoky char bits or, okay, they probably just like any excuse to eat more cheese. It’s my go-to for potlucks because you can make it ahead and honestly, it only gets better in the fridge (not that it lasts long). The only trouble is trying not to eat half of it before serving. No, Karen, I didn’t “taste test” the whole thing this time. Or did I?

The Stuff You’ll Need (Substitutions Below… Always)

3 cups cooked pasta (I use rotini or penne, but bowties are cute—or whatever’s left in the box. My grandma swears it has to be De Cecco, but I’m happy with whatever’s on sale to be honest.)
4 ears corn, grilled or broiled (I’ve used frozen corn in a pinch; just dry-toast it in a skillet. Canned works too if you’re in a hurry. Taste isn’t that different once you’ve drowned it in lime juice…)
1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese (My neighbor uses parmesan—don’t @ me, it sort of works!)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Or half sour cream, half mayo if you’re on the fence. Sometimes I do all Greek yogurt when I’m pretending to be healthy… for five minutes.)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I love cilantro but swap parsley if you’re a cilantro hater. No judgment. Okay, maybe a little…)
2 green onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced (Or skip it if you’re not into dragon breath.)
Juice of 1 lime (Sometimes I just whack in extra if it’s dry. Roll it first—it helps!)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or chili powder)
Salt and pepper (I just eyeball it, usually.)
Optional extras: Diced jalapeño (if you’re brave), diced red bell pepper, a dash of hot sauce (go wild!)

How I Throw This Together (A Little Chaos Included)

Cook your pasta. Salted water, bubbling away, 8-10 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water—yes, grandma rolls her eyes, but it stops the mushiness. Let it chill for a minute.
Char your corn. Grill it or stick it under the broiler until you’ve got spots. Tongs make this less painful, but I just use my hands and burn myself every time. Cool slightly, then slice off those kernels. (They really do fly everywhere. I mean, I found one behind my toaster three days later.)
Mix the dressing. Stir together mayo, lime juice, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sometimes I forget the paprika until the end—just stir it in, nobody knows.
Everything in the bowl. Pasta, corn, cilantro, onions, cheese—get it all in there. Pour over the dressing; toss it together. I use my hands sometimes. (Judge away.)
Adjust. Taste and add more salt, lime, or a rogue splash of hot sauce. “This is where I usually sneak a taste,” but, yeah, sometimes that’s my third taste.
Chill if you can stand it. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Worth it, but if you’re impatient, eat it right away. Still delish.

Bitty Notes I’ve Learned the Hard Way

If you add the cheese before the corn cools, it just sort of melts into a goopy mess. Not ruined exactly—just don’t expect pretty crumbles.
Once I tried using shell pasta—somehow it was all wrong, texture-wise. Rotini or penne all the way for me.
If it’s too thick, splash in a glug of milk or extra lime juice. Or both!
Leftovers soak up the dressing, so save a little extra to stir in before serving if you want it less… stodgy (is that a word?).

Variations I’ve Messed With (Some Winners, Some Not)

Grilled chicken added for when you want to call it dinner instead of a side—tastes amazing hot or cold.
Added black beans for protein (not a bad call). But when I tried avocado, it went brown and weird super quick—maybe I did something wrong.
Once I tossed in diced pickles instead of jalapeño: my youngest loved it, the rest of us… not so much!

Stuff You’ll Need (And What To Improvise With)

Big pot for pasta (A saucepan works if desperate—just stir often.)
Grill or oven broiler (But I’ve charred corn on a skillet when snowed in—smoky flavor, same deal!)
Big ol’ mixing bowl—bigger than you think you need
Sharp knife for the corn (or saw at it with a steak knife; I won’t tell)

How to Store It (If There’s Any Left)

Keep it covered in the fridge—it’s good for up to 3 days. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If you’re making it ahead for an event, save a splash of lime juice and dressing for a quick freshen-up. (Freezing? Never works—trust me, tried it once… sog city.)

How We Love to Serve Ours

I usually plop a big bowl in the middle of the table at BBQs and watch people sidestep the boring lettuce salad. For me, it’s perfect alongside grilled chicken or lumped on top of tortilla chips (dare you to try it nacho-style). Aunt May likes it with crunchy lettuce wraps. Go wild, honestly.

Hard-Earned Pro Tips (Or, What Not To Do Again)

I once tried to rush the chilling—definitely regretted that. Flavors need a bit of time to hang out together, otherwise it’s just cold pasta. So, patience really does taste better.
Used regular paprika instead of smoked—wasn’t bad, just kind of flat. Smoked really gives it oomph. Don’t skip unless you must.
Don’t get carried away with the lime. Once I went wild with two and it was more tang than corn, oops.

Questions I’ve Actually Gotten (And a Few I Thought Of)

Can I make this dairy-free? Sure can! Use a non-dairy cheese (violife is not terrible) and vegan mayo, still tasty. But maybe skip feta for vegan versions unless you like strong fake-cheese vibes.
Is this spicy? Not by default, but add jalapeños or hot sauce if you want. Actually, my son’s nickname for this is ‘sneaky salad’ because sometimes it’s super mild, sometimes I go wild with chili!
How far ahead can I make it? Night before works best. Actually, I think the flavors get even yummier after a night in the fridge.
Can I use another kind of pasta? Yep, though I’d avoid long strands like spaghetti, just gets messy, y’know?
Where can I find cotija? Most grocery stores have it near the Mexican cheeses now, but feta works in a pinch. I’ve ordered it from MexGrocer before too.
Is it good for meal prep? If you keep a bit of dressing aside to stir in later—otherwise it thickens a touch, but still edible. For more meal-prep ideas, I sometimes check BudgetBytes for inspiration.
Do kids really eat this? Depends; some days they inhale it, other days they fish out the cheese and leave the rest… Sod’s law, right?

One last thing: if you ever, say, forget to buy cilantro then just chop up some green onions or parsley and nobody seems to notice (except my husband, but he’s on Team Cilantro Forever). Happy cooking!

Perfect Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad