If you’ve ever stood in front of a street corn cart and thought I could eat this every single day, then this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe is for you. It’s smoky, creamy, and tangy, tossed with pasta, a chili-lime creamy dressing, and on the table in under 30 minutes.

Overhead shot of Mexican Street Corn Pasta in serving dish with wooden spoon.

This recipe has earned a permanent spot as a side dish at all of our get-togethers. Our family’s “first Sunday of the month dinners”, baby showers, and a bridal shower too! It’s the kind of dish that works everywhere, brunch, potlucks, and backyard BBQs! It’s become one of our favorite go-to pasta salad recipe!

Close up picture of mexican street corn pasta salad.

Make it a full Meal

My husband works outside in the Arizona heat, and he loves it when I send cold pasta salads in his lunches. To make it higher in protein and lower in calories, I use these easy swaps:

Swap regular pasta for high-protein pasta
Use Greek yogurt in place of the mayo and sour cream
Add two cups of shredded chicken or a pint of home-canned chicken (Check out our How to Can Chicken (Raw Pack Method) to can your own chicken!)
Add in a can of black beans, drained and rinsed. If you’re adding black beans, scale the chicken back to 1 cup.

Tip: When we are tracking macros, I will add the pasta salad to the bottom of the meal prep dish and then measure out the protein for his needs instead of mixing it all in the main serving dish.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Ingredients

Ingredient picture of mexican street corn pasta salad.

A few Ingredient Notes

Frozen corn: Fire-roasted corn is best for that smoky charred flavor. You can use two cans of drained sweet corn as well in a pinch.

Lime juice: Fresh is best. Bottled lime juice will work, but fresh lime has a brightness that works well with the dressing.

Rotini Pasta: I love using rotini pasta for this pasta salad because its ridges and crevices hold onto all the yummy creamy dressing. Any pasta will work, though.

Cotja Cheese: Cotja cheese adds a salty kick and is perfect for this dish because its firmness holds up well. If you can’t find it, you can use crumbled feta. It will be a little bit tangier, but it will work.

How to Make This Mexican Street Corn Pasta

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Set aside, and let cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth and well combined.

Before and after picture. picture on the left is dressing ingredients unmixed. Picture on the right is dressing mixed together and smooth.

Add cooled pasta and remaining salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

Before and after picture. Left picture is all the salad ingredients in a large bowl before mixing. Right picture is creamy dressing added and everything mixed together well.

Top with reserved Cojita cheese and additional chopped cilantro if desired and enjoy!

45 degree angle of pasta salad in serving dish with a wooden spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes! The dressing will soak into the pasta, so either add it when you are ready to serve or add half when you make it, and the other half when you are ready to serve.

Storage Instructions

Store pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Looking for more Mexican dishes? Try these:

Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas

Cheesy Pinto Beans (Easy, Creamy, and Ready in 20 Minutes)

Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Jiffy Cornbread