Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Print)

Creamy pasta with charred corn, lime, and spices delivers a bright and flavorful summer side dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
03 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

07 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream
09 - ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 lime, zested and juiced
12 - 1 tsp chili powder
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground cumin
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - Extra cotija cheese
17 - Additional cilantro
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add corn and sauté for 3–4 minutes until lightly charred. Allow to cool.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, garlic, lime zest and juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions with the dressing until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and add additional salt or pepper as needed.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with extra cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lime and cotija create that perfect balance of tangy and salty that makes you want another forkful before you've even swallowed the first.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes, which means it works for last-minute invitations or lazy meal prep.
  • It actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have had time to get comfortable with each other.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water after cooking—this stops it from continuing to cook and keeps the salad from turning into mush when you dress it.
  • Don't skip charring the corn; those few minutes in the skillet add a depth of flavor that raw corn just can't match.
  • Make this salad at least a couple of hours ahead if you can, or even the day before, because the dressing needs time to flavor everything properly.
03 -
  • If you can't find cotija, feta is your best substitute, though it's slightly less salty and a bit more tangy—adjust your salt accordingly.
  • Toast the chili powder and cumin in a dry skillet for 30 seconds right before adding them to the dressing if you want to deepen their flavors even more.
Back