Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Creamy, crunchy, tangy, and sweet, this Mexican street corn pasta salad is packed with bold flavor and is a guaranteed showstopper for your next cookout. All the best flavors of classic elote in one easy-to-make dish that’s just as good warm as it is cold. Recipe includes a how-to video!

Elote Pasta Salad

In a sea of classic summer salads (macaroni salad, broccoli salad, and traditional pasta salad), this Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe is unique and stands out in the best way. Its different, but still familiar, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.

What sets this recipe apart is the absolute bomb of flavors and textures in every bite. Juicy, fresh, slightly charred corn (fresh off the cob is best!), creamy dressing with a little tang, tender pasta, and pops of salty cotija and crisp onion. Whether you’re making this for a cookout or just for something less mundane in your weeknight dinner routine, it’s a guaranteed slam dunk.

Why You Need to Make It:

• Charred corn = incredible flavor. Cooking the corn in a hot cast iron skillet caramelizes the natural sugars, which adds depth and toasty flavor (and if you grill it? Even better!).
• Great way to use up summer corn! You’ll need 4 cups of sweet corn for this recipe; make sure to pick a variety that tastes good, as this largely flavors the salad.
• Layered flavors that hit every note. Sweet corn, salty cheese, just the right touch of heat from jalapeno and a hint of sugar + lime juice for balance. Every bite is vibrant and irresistible.
• Versatile. Serve it warm or cold, make in advance (it’s very make ahead friendly), or add extra spice with Tajin. This recipe pairs just as well with smash burgers and hotdogs as it does with crispy chicken tacos and chicken enchiladas. Or make a meal out of the salad itself (I’d do the same!).

What You Need

So what’s in it? Sweet crisp corn, perfectly cooked noodles, crunchy onions and jalapenos, fresh cilantro and lime, salty cheese… many of these are traditional to elote or esquites and they’re key players for a really good Mexican street corn pasta salad. Let’s talk a few details before we begin.

• Corn. Fresh sweet corn cut right off the cob is best. The flavor of your corn will greatly impact the flavor of this pasta salad, so use a sweet or “super sweet” variety corn that tastes good (the local “ambrosia” corn around here is my favorite!)! If you can’t find fresh corn, thawed frozen sweet corn will work in a pinch.
• Pasta. I used fusilli bucati here for its fun shape (and because it has lots of nooks for the sauce to cling to), but really any kind will work.
• Cotija cheese. Cotija is a classic Mexican street corn ingredient, so it was a must for elote pasta salad! If you can’t find this, queso fresco or a good quality parmesan will work instead.
• Chili powder. This is the same kind of chili powder you’d use in my chili recipe. It’s not spicy–just adds flavor. A little goes in the salad, but then you’ll want some for sprinkling on top. You could substitute a bit of ancho chili powder (a favorite from my potato soup!) if you want a smokier note.
• Mexican crema. This is similar to sour cream, but has a thinner texture and slightly sweet flavor. If you can’t find crema in your grocery store, sour cream should work fine in a pinch.

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

SAM’S TIP: A sprinkle of tajin or chili powder on top before serving adds color and flavor. Tajin packs more of a flavor punch, so if you have that, use it!

How to Make It

Step 1: Boil the pasta

Cook your noodles in well salted water (don’t skip the salt, as this is your only chance to season the noodles!) until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Char the corn

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred. Season with a pinch of salt, then remove from the heat and add to the pasta bowl.

SAM’S TIP: Grilling the corn instead of cooking in cast iron would be AMAZING! In the cast iron we cook the corn in butter and so don’t really get a true char, but that doesn’t mean you can skip this step — the resulting flavor is still deep and incredible.

Step 3: Make the dressing & combine

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large measuring cup. Once the corn has cooled down a bit, you can add the dressing and the add-ins to the pasta bowl.

Toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated in dressing. Add an additional sprinkle of chili powder or Tajin on top before serving (or leave it on the side for your guests to add to their hearts’ desire), and enjoy!

SAM’S TIP: This salad actually tastes good warm or cold. If you plan to serve it cold, make sure to cover it well before placing in the fridge to chill. It’s always a good idea to give it a good stir before serving after it has had time to sit.

Customize!

• 🔁 Switch up the pasta: shells, macaroni, ditalini, bowties, or even penne would all be fun in this pasta salad.
• 🥓 Add bacon: crumble up some bacon and toss that in with the veggies for a smoky twist.
• 🌶️ Turn up the heat with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper with the spices or top with crushed Flaming Hot Cheetos.
• 🥑 Vary the veggies: add black beans, diced avocado, bell peppers, poblanos, etc.
• 🌽 Grill the corn instead! Char the corn cobs over the grill instead of cooking in a pan. This will build amazing flavor!
• 🔥 Try it hot or cold: this salad tastes great either way! If you usually make it cold, try it warm (right after making it!) one time and see how you like it.

More Ways To Use Up That Sweet Summer Corn:

I hope this salad makes an appearance at one of your cookouts this summer! ☀️

Enjoy!

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