If you're searching for a delicious dish to spice up your next BBQ or potluck, look no further than this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad! This flavorful side dish has the zesty elements of Mexican street corn (aka elote) with hearty pasta salad.
This pasta salad is a perfect side dish for a summer picnic, your next potluck, or for barbecue parties. Preparing Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a breeze! You can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to eat. This lets all the yummy flavors mix together perfectly.
Please let us know in the comments and ratings below if you tried this pasta salad!
Try some of our other favorite side dishes: Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, Viral Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad, Creamy Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad, or Strawberry Spinach Salad.
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Ingredients for Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- rotini pasta, bowtie pasta, or fusilli pasta (any that can grab the dressing)
- frozen or canned sweet corn
- queso fresco cheese or cotija cheese
- fresh garlic
- minced onion
- fresh cilantro
- butter
- salt
- black pepper
- chili powder
- olive oil
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- lime juice
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- cayenne pepper
FAQs
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a flavorful twist on traditional pasta salad, inspired by the popular Mexican street food known as elote. It combines pasta with the flavors of grilled corn, cotija cheese, lime, cilantro, and a creamy dressing.
Yes, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a great make-ahead dish. You can prepare it several hours or even a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reserve some dressing and toss into the pasta salad before serving.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad pairs well with grilled meats such as chicken, steak, or shrimp. It's also great for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish for Mexican-inspired meals. Serve it with lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of flavor.
Top Tips
- Choose a type of pasta like fusilli, rotini, small shells or mini bowties that can hold the dressing and ingredients well. Cook the pasta until al dente to ensure it retains a slight bite.
- After cooking the pasta, rinse it under cold water to remove excess starch and stop the cooking process. This will help prevent the pasta from becoming mushy.
- Grilling fresh corn adds a smoky flavor to the salad and enhances its sweetness. Brush the corn with a little oil and grill until it's charred in spots. Then, cut the kernels off the cob.
- Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. This also helps to enhance the taste and texture.
- Taste the salad before serving and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You may need to add more salt and pepper to suit your taste preferences.
- f you have leftovers, store the pasta salad in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for a couple of days, but keep in mind that the texture of the pasta may change slightly over time.
How to make Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta according to the package directions until it is al dente. Drain pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it cool completely. Once cooled, toss with 3 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- In a medium or large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add minced onion and garlic, cooking until soft. Add frozen or canned corn to skillet.
- Next, mix in ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook another 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, pinch cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy), salt, black pepper, and lime zest.
- Add cooked pasta to a large bowl, along with the cooled corn. Stir dressing into the pasta.
- Toss pasta with queso fresco and fresh cilantro.
- Serve with a squeeze of lime and enjoy!
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 16 oz pasta (rotini, fusilli)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, black pepper
- 1 cup cotija or queso fresco
- ¼ to ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- salt, pepper to taste
- lime zest to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions until it is al dente. Drain pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it cool completely. Once cooled, toss pasta with 3 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- In a medium or large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add minced onion and garlic, cooking until soft. Add frozen or canned corn to skillet.
- Next, mix in ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook another 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, pinch cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy), salt, black pepper, and lime zest.
- Add cooked and cooled pasta to a large bowl, along with the cooled corn. Stir dressing into the pasta.
- Toss pasta with queso fresco and fresh cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
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