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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican street corn pasta salad with charred corn and a creamy cilantro-lime dressing. Rotini is tossed with peppers, jalapeño heat, and cotija for an elote-inspired, crowd-ready 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: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb rotini or shells pasta
  • 5 cup corn kernels, charred
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
Cilantro-lime dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.33 cup lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste Use to season to taste.
  • 1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled For topping.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and char
  1. Cook the rotini or shells pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch (about 30 seconds). The pasta should look separate, not sticky, and it should be fully cooled before mixing.
  2. Char the corn kernels in a hot skillet over high heat until lightly blackened, stirring occasionally (about 5 to 8 minutes). Look for browned spots and a few charred edges on most kernels.
Make dressing and assemble
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and thick. The mixture should be uniform with no dry spice pockets.
  2. Combine the pasta, charred corn, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and red onion in a large bowl, folding gently. The vegetables should be evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly, making sure the pasta is slick with dressing. The salad should look creamy and evenly colored.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, uncovered just long enough to set, then cover for the remainder of chilling. It should feel colder and slightly firmer, with flavors blended.
  2. Top with cotija cheese and cilantro right before serving. You should see white cotija crumbles and bright green cilantro on the surface.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta with cold water until fully cooled so it won’t clump while chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best flavor, add cotija and cilantro fresh each time you serve. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy dressing can separate. For a lighter option, substitute Greek yogurt for half the mayonnaise while keeping the sour cream, then chill to thicken.