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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

ByMelissa Jo Posted on Updated on
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A wooden spoon lifts a serving of creamy pasta salad with rotini, red onions, green peppers, cilantro, crumbled cheese, and sprinkled spices from a large white dish. Two orange pepper mills are visible in the background.

One of my favorite parts about developing recipes is that I literally talk as I go. I’m tasting, tweaking, adding a little of this, a little of that, until I know it’s exactly where I want it. My rendition of this Street Corn Pasta Salad is sheer perfection but… here’s the big but! I still want to give you my little tips along the way so yours turns out just as good.

For example, when you’re making a pasta salad, remember that the dressing has to be bold. If it tastes perfect before you toss it with the pasta and all the other ingredients, chances are it’ll end up blahhhh!! Once everything gets mixed together, those flavors mellow out, so don’t be afraid if the dressing tastes a little stronger than you expected. I do the same techniques with all of my data salads. And here are some more of my viral pasta salad favorites: BLT Pasta Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, and my family heirloom Macaroni Salad.

If you have a few extra minutes, I hope you’ll read through the whole post before jumping to the recipe card. I always sprinkle little tips and tricks throughout my blogs that I think make all the difference. They’re little things I’ve learned over the years that help bring recipes from good to unforgettable. Now let’s make a pasta salad that’s worthy of your family’s table!

A kitchen counter with four limes, a container of chopped red onion, a measuring cup of mayonnaise, and a package of Cotija cheese. A decorative container with a lemon design is in the background.
Always prep your ingredients first! Measure, chop chop, defrost, this makes cooking fun and enjoyable!
A hand holding scissors cuts open a bag of uncooked spiral pasta over a metal bowl. The arm wears gold bangles and has dark-colored nail polish.
Radiatori Pasta! The absolute best!
Colorful sautéed corn, red and green bell peppers, and onions cooking in a cast iron skillet on a stovetop, with a wooden spatula resting on the rim.
For the corn, do NOT mess with it until you hear a snap, crackle, pop!!! That way you get the roasted corn with charred bits instead of simple steamed corn! 😉
A hand sprinkles Trader Joe’s Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend over a bowl of white creamy mixture in a kitchen setting.
Everything but the Elote seasoning from Trader Joes!
A hand sprinkles seasoning from a small wooden-handled spoon into a glass measuring cup filled with a creamy mixture in a kitchen setting.
A glass measuring cup pours a white liquid into another glass measuring cup containing a beige, speckled mixture being whisked. Both cups are labeled Pyrex.
Tip: When adding your lime juice, squeeze your limes into the cup your mayo was in to get the rest of the mayo out! Taste the sauce as you go, and add more lime juice as needed! 😉
Charred corn and diced red and green peppers are being poured from a pan onto a bowl filled with cooked ruffle-edged pasta on a wooden surface.
A bowl filled with chopped red onion, green peppers, corn, herbs, crumbled cheese, and a creamy sauce being poured on top, set on a wooden surface in a kitchen.
A close-up of a creamy pasta salad with rotini, chopped red onions, cilantro, crumbled cheese, corn, and a sprinkle of chili powder, served in a white dish with salt and pepper shakers in the background.
A close-up of a large bowl of pasta salad with rotini noodles, chopped red onions, green peppers, corn, crumbly cheese, and a sprinkle of paprika on top. The salad appears creamy and colorful.
Sprinkle with that delicious Tajín and cotija cheese!!
A large bowl of rotini pasta salad mixed with crumbled cheese, chopped red onions, green herbs, and sprinkled with red chili powder or paprika. The salad appears creamy and colorful.
A woman with long brown hair in an off-shoulder top smiles while holding a fork over a large bowl of colorful salad on a kitchen counter, with flowers and orange salt and pepper shakers beside her.
A woman with long brown hair, wearing a maroon top, smiles while holding a large bowl of pasta salad topped with herbs and cheese in a bright kitchen with white cabinets and a vase of flowers.
A wooden spoon scoops up creamy pasta salad with rotini noodles, red onion, corn, cilantro, cheese, and sprinkled spices from a white dish. Two pepper grinders are visible in the background.
A serving spoon lifts a portion of creamy pasta salad with rotini, red onions, corn, cilantro, cheese, and sprinkled spices from a large white dish. Red and orange pepper grinders are visible in the background.

🤔 Common Questions

What pasta works best?

Any small, chunky pasta works great. Elbow macaroni, rotini, shells, cavatappi, ditalini, or bow ties all hold the dressing really well.

Is this spicy?

Not very! The jalapeño adds a mild kick (make sure to take the seeds out), but you can leave out the jalapeños if you prefer a milder pasta salad.

What if I can’t find Radiatori?

Rotini, shells, cavatappi, ditalini, bow ties, or any small chunky pasta will also work!

Melissa’s Tips

  • Toss the warm pasta with a splash of white vinegar before rinsing it. It adds a subtle tang that makes a big difference in the final flavor.
  • Let the corn brown in the skillet instead of just heating it up. Those little caramelized bits add incredible flavor.
  • Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving so the dressing has time to soak into the pasta.
  • Save a little Cotija cheese, Tajín, and cilantro to sprinkle on top just before serving for the prettiest presentation.
  • If you like extra heat, leave SOME of the jalapeño seeds in or add an extra sprinkle of Tajín before serving.
A wooden spoon lifts a serving of creamy pasta salad with rotini, red onions, green peppers, cilantro, crumbled cheese, and sprinkled spices from a large white dish. Two orange pepper mills are visible in the background.

Mexican Steet Corn Pasta Salad

This Street Corn Pasta Salad is loaded with sweet fire-roasted corn, creamy dressing, tangy Cotija cheese, fresh lime juice, jalapeños, and plenty of bold Mexican-inspired flavors. It's the perfect side dish for cookouts, potlucks, taco night, or any summer gathering, and somehow tastes even better after it chills in the fridge. Easy to make, packed with flavor, and guaranteed to disappear fast! 🌽🥣☀️
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 15 people

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
    Drain the pasta, then immediately toss it with a splash of white vinegar while it's still warm.
    This adds great flavor and helps brighten the salad.

Step 2: Cook the Street Corn

  • While the pasta cools, heat 3 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    Add both bags of frozen Southwest Street Style Corn and cook, cover the surface of the pan with corn mix, flatten it down and don't stir immediately. Don't touch till you hear a snap, crackle, pop sound! That means it's charring. Then stir occaanly till its fully brown, charred, and golden.
    Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Make the Dressing

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Everything but the Elote seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Whisk until smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Assemble the Pasta Salad

  • Add the pasta, browned street corn, chopped red onion, chopped jalapeño (Remove the Seeds from the Jalapeños), cilantro (or parsley), and most of the crumbled Cotija cheese to the bowl with the dressing.
    Toss until everything is evenly coated.

Step 5: Finish & Chill

  • Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining Cotija cheese.
    Sprinkle generously with Tajín and garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
    Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Video

Keyword corn, mexican, mexican street corn, side dish
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