Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad (Elote-Style)

My husband spent a year living in Mexico during high school, and one of his favorite memories was eating elote from street vendors. When we traveled there together, he introduced me to the dish, and I was instantly hooked! This 20-minute Mexican street corn pasta salad is everything we love about elote-fire-roasted corn, tangy lime, creamy dressing, and cotija cheese-all tossed with pasta for an easy side dish that's bright, zesty, and perfect to serve for summer cookouts.

My Favorite Summer Pasta Salad

Mexican street corn, also known as elote, is a beloved street food in Mexico-grilled to perfection and slathered in a creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce. This elote pasta salad is inspired by the traditional dish, but turns it into a cold, creamy side dish that's perfect for sandwich sides, a summer BBQ, or potluck.

This cold pasta salad with corn is easy to make ahead of time and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! I like to serve it with grilled meats or paired with my southwest burger and an Aperol margarita to keep the theme going.

Notes on Ingredients

• I prefer to use rotini pasta because the spiral shape holds onto the creamy dressing. Farfalle is another good option.
• Fire-roasted corn gives this Mexican street corn pasta salad its signature taste. I use fire-roasted frozen corn, but you can also grill fresh corn on the cob or make charred corn using canned corn.
• Cotija is a Mexican cheese with a salty, crumbly texture. If you can't find this ingredient, I suggest using feta cheese or grated parmesan. Queso fresco is another good option, but it has a much milder flavor.
• During my recipe development phase, I learned through trail and error that a mix of both sour cream and mayo is the best base for the dressing because it provides a Mexican crema flavor.

I love taking Tex-Mex ingredients, like corn, and putting a unique twist on them-just like my recipe for creamed corn with jalapenos.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: In a large pot, salt water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Step 2: Drain the pasta when it has finished cooking and add it to the bowl with the dressing. Toss until evenly coated.

Step 3: Stir in the corn, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro until well combined.

Step 4: Cover the bowl and let the pasta salad chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

I like to sprinkle additional cotija cheese and cilantro on top as a garnish before serving.

I'm a huge fan of easy Tex-Mex recipes and pasta, so naturally, I had to combine the two-first with this dish and again with my jalapeno mac and cheese and taco pasta recipe.

Storage

To keep your roasted corn pasta salad fresh, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since the dressing is made with sour cream and mayonnaise, it's best to avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours to prevent spoilage.

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If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!