Mexican street corn pasta salad (Printable)

Creamy pasta with charred corn, lime dressing, cotija cheese, and fresh veggies in a vibrant side dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or rotini

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 1/3 cup sour cream
08 - 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese and Garnish

17 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
18 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
19 - Lime wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until charred in spots. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, Greek yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooked pasta, charred corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
05 - Fold in most of the cotija cheese, reserving a bit for garnish.
06 - Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cotija cheese and chili flakes. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No mayonnaise means it actually tastes fresh and light, not heavy and pooling with white stuff by the time you serve it.
  • The charred corn gives you that street vendor magic without needing a grill—just a hot skillet does the trick.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight sides or emergency potluck contributions.
02 -
  • Cook the corn in a completely dry skillet—adding oil actually prevents proper charring because the moisture creates steam instead of heat.
  • Always toss the salad with dressing right before serving, or make the components separately and combine them only when you're ready to eat; otherwise the pasta absorbs all the dressing and becomes dry.
03 -
  • Zest your limes before cutting them in half—it's so much easier, and you'll actually get usable zest instead of trying to scrape it off after juicing.
  • Buy pre-cooked rotisserie corn or frozen corn kernels instead of fresh when you're in a hurry; both give you equally excellent results without the prep work.
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