Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta tossed with charred corn, lime dressing, cherry tomatoes, and cotija cheese in a vibrant mix.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz 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 - Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, Greek yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
04 - Add cooked pasta, charred corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Fold in most of the cotija cheese, reserving a portion for garnish. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining cheese and chili flakes.
06 - Present the salad with lime wedges on the side for guests to squeeze over their portions.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • No mayo means this stays fresh and light, even if you make it ahead for potlucks or weeknight dinners.
  • The charred corn brings real depth—it tastes like something you'd find at a proper street vendor, not a boxed mix.
  • Greek yogurt and sour cream create that creamy texture without the heaviness, so you can actually eat more than one bowl.
02 -
  • If you make this more than a few hours ahead, the pasta will absorb the dressing and everything gets heavy—toss the components separately and combine right before serving for the best texture.
  • Charring the corn in a dry skillet is the secret weapon; it sounds scary but it actually works, and that caramelization is what separates this from boring pasta salad.
03 -
  • Taste your dressing before mixing it with everything else—you might want more lime juice or an extra pinch of salt, and it's much easier to adjust it solo than to fish things out later.
  • If the corn is mediocre, the whole salad suffers, so use the best corn you can find or splurge for ears at the farmers market when they're in season.
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