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Tender pasta, fresh corn, and red onions are tossed with a creamy, spicy sauce of mayonnaise, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese to create this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Holy WOW. I could not stop eating this pasta salad after I first tasted it. This is crazy good and every single person who tried it agreed. It’s THAT good.
My Mexican Street Corn obsession is borderline embarrassing, but I have no shame in my love of this flavor combination. This recipe is best with fresh corn.
You know that I just can’t get enough of the different street corn inspired recipes, right?
Yes, the corn is raw in this recipe. You do not need to cook it. If you have never tasted raw sweet corn you are in for a treat.
Fresh corn and tender potatoes are tossed in a creamy spicy sauce to create the Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad. It’s been a popular recipe all summer long.
Tender bites of chicken and fresh corn are coated with a creamy, spicy sauce of mayonnaise, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese to make this flavorful Street Corn Chicken Salad.
Crunchy green cabbage, fresh corn, and red onions are tossed with a creamy, spicy sauce of mayonnaise, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese to create this Mexican Street Corn Coleslaw.
You can serve these recipes with Carnitas, Filthy Burgers, grilled chicken thighs, pretty much anything goes. There just isn’t a wrong way to serve street corn!
Now that it is fresh sweet corn season here in Ohio, all bets are off and if you see me eating raw sweet corn right off the ear – join me, or mind your own business. My husband wishes that last sentence was a joke but it isn’t.
I prefer to buy it freshly picked from one of the farm stands we have near us. Look for bright green husks and silks that aren’t brown and brittle. In our area some farmers even let you walk into the field and pick your own. Talk about fresh!
Elote Pasta Salad
Elote is the perfect dish to turn into a macaroni salad. I say that because elote at its base is corn on the cob, smothered in a seasoned mayonnaise. Macaroni salad is basically pasta with a mayonnaise dressing.
Lucky for all of us, elote pasta salad is much easier to eat, than traditional elote (a.k.a. corn on the cob). The mayonnaise-covered corn with seasoning and cheese is delicious, but a bit on the messy side. I love the dressing for this pasta salad, it is a combination of all the seasonings typically smeared on street corn.
The mayonnaise is the perfect carrier for chili powder, lime juice, Cotija cheese, and cilantro. Toss that together with fresh corn, pasta, and red onions for a taste of summer.
Street Corn Pasta Salad
The ingredients are pretty simple and easy to find. You likely have many of them already:
- ditalini pasta or salad macaroni
- fresh corn
- red onion
- cotija cheese
- fresh cilantro
Dressing Ingredients
- mayonnaise
- Cholula hot sauce
- fresh lime juice
- sugar
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- red chili powder
In a pinch (or in the winter) frozen or canned corn will work, the sweet crunch of fresh corn is simply amazing in this recipe.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. When the pasta is done, drain into a colander and rinse well with cold water to prevent any further cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and chili powder. Add the pasta, corn, and red onion. Toss with tongs or stir well to coat.
- Sprinkle with cotija and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mexican Street Corn Recipes
The flavor of Mexican street corn has crept into many of my recipes. My overly honest critics, the kids, are thumbs up on anything that makes the most of street corn flavor combinations.
Elote Dip is made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. I’ve served this as both a snack with chips and as a side dish. Our guests almost always ask for the recipe.
Mexican Street Corn with Squash and Kielbasa brings all of the street corn flavors we love to this simple skillet meal. Kielbasa sausage is sauteed with sweet onions, fresh corn, and summer squash before being tossed with a really light street corn inspired sauce.
Street Corn Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ditalini pasta or salad macaroni
- 4 ears of corn, kernels removed about 4 cups
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup cotija cheese crumbled sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped small
Dressing Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1-3 tablespoons Cholula hot sauce adjust to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1 large lime
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground red chili powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. When the pasta is done, drain into a colander and rinse well with cold water to prevent any further cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and chili powder. Add the pasta, corn, and red onion. Toss with tongs or stir well to coat.
- Sprinkle with cotija and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have to tell you, this was the most delicious thing I’ve made in years and I make a lot of stuff. I made it exactly to recipe and it was it was out of this world good. I can see why you said you can’t stop eating it! This is going to be my go to summer macaroni salad from now on. It’s so good it’s genius. Thank you for sharing this!
YAY!!!! I’m thrilled to hear that you love it as much as we do! It really is crazy good.
This was the only thing I wanted to eat ! I was surprised chili powder is the only spice in this because I liked the little bit of spicy .
So delish !!!!
I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying the pasta salad, Lisa. Happy cooking!
I’m sorry for being dim – do you cook the corn at all before you cut it off the cob?
You do not need to cook the corn for this recipe. If you haven’t tasted fresh, raw sweet corn before, you’re in for a treat. Enjoy!
Oh. My. Gosh. So good and so easy. I’ll definitely be making this again and sharing the recipe.
YES!! That is fantastic to hear, we have been eating it nonstop with all the fresh sweet corn available right now.
Delicious salad never had a macaroni salad so very good..thank you
Jake = It is a favorite for me as well.
OMG this sounds amazing! I know you answered this already, but you don’t cook the corn? Won’t it be tough and chewy?
I know it sounds crazy but it isn’t tough at all is actually very fresh and crisp like with a nice crunch.
Love this recipe! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Heather.
If fresh corn is not in season, do you thing frozen thawed corn would work?
Yes, that will work, Patty.
I can’t find cotija cheese….can you recommend a replacement?
Hi, Susan! Feta cheese makes a good substitute in a pinch; really, what you’re looking for is any cheese with a mildly sharp taste and a soft, crumbly texture. I hope you love the pasta salad.
Oh. My. Goodness!! This is the absolute best pasta salad I have ever made! And you right, it’s very addictive!
Agreed, Vicki. This is a recipe that you can just keep coming back to. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the pasta salad.
Haven’t made this salad yet, but can attest to how delicious fresh, raw sweet corn is. When I was a kid and my mom would be cutting off corn to freeze I was always in the way sneaking bites of the corn as she cut it off the cob!
It is truly delicious, isn’t it, Nita? I hope you love the salad; it highlights the fresh corn flavor really well. Enjoy!
Wow! So quick and easy and just full of flavor. Threw in some roasted chicken and made it a meal. Thanks for the recipe.
That sounds delicious, Donya! I’m so glad you loved the pasta salad. Enjoy, and happy cooking.
Made this today, really, really good, it’s a keeper!
Glad to hear it, Cheri.
Is this best served cold?
We serve this salad cold, Kendra.
I’m not familiar with this cheese…am I looking for a block or is it going to be crumbled already? The recipe says sliced or crumbled?? Is it sold as a block and I should shred it myself or should I be looking for a container that is already crumbled like most feta is sold?
It’s sold as a block and depending on the brand, sometimes it can be crumbled by hand and other times it needs to be shredded.
What could you substitute for the hot sauce to get that color? Some of my family are not fans of hot sauce.
You could add a bit of paprika to it.
Delicious. Easy to make. I doubled the recipe for a large party and had to send the recipe to several people. I did add more cilantro than listed but it was worth it. 😀
I’m thrilled you like it!
Very tasty summer side dish. I added red and orange peppers along with the jalapeño for a pop of color.
Sounds perfect, Laura!
This was really good!!! Made it for Father’s Day! A lot of people went for seconds, I am going to make it for the Fourth of July too!
YAY! I’m thrilled to hear it, Liz.
I made this recipe and added dice grill chicken and it was a hit. My family loved it. My grandson said to keep fixing this. He loved it.
I bet it was great with grilled chicken added to the salad. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Victoria.
How far ahead can I make this for an event and how long is it good for?
This will keep nicely for a couple of days.