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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican street corn pasta salad with charred corn, crunchy peppers, and a creamy cilantro-lime dressing. Rotini is cooked, cooled, tossed with elote-style flavors, and chilled until it’s rich, tangy, and sliceable for a colorful fiesta side.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta
  • 5 cup corn kernels Char for an elote-style smoky flavor.
  • 1 red bell pepper Diced.
  • 1 jalapeño Diced. Adjust for heat.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Diced.
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.33 cup lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup cotija cheese Crumbled.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini or shells pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Char the corn
  1. Heat a hot skillet, then char corn kernels until lightly blackened, stirring to cook evenly and keep them vibrant.
Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and thick so it coats the pasta evenly.
Assemble and dress
  1. Combine the pasta, charred corn, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and red onion in a large bowl and toss gently to distribute the mix.
Chill
  1. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours for flavor to meld.
Serve
  1. Before serving, top the salad with cotija cheese and chopped cilantro so each bite gets a salty, fresh finish.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta well and let it drain fully so the dressing clings instead of turning watery. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; it’s best served chilled and you can freeze for up to 1 month, though the texture of the creamy dressing may soften. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt to keep it tangy with less richness.