Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta tossed with charred corn, tangy lime, and smoky spices in a refreshing salad blend.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
03 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

07 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream
09 - ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 lime, zested and juiced
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - Extra cotija cheese
17 - Additional cilantro
18 - Lime wedges
19 - Chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling

# How to Prepare:

01 - Boil short pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté, dry or with a touch of oil, for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly charred. Remove and let cool.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, minced garlic, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onions to the dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed for balance.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with extra cotija cheese, cilantro, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer on a fork, with charred corn and zesty lime playing against creamy, tangy richness.
  • You can make it hours ahead and actually watch it get better as flavors meld together.
  • One bowl serves a table full of people, which means less time stressing about sides and more time enjoying company.
02 -
  • Charring the corn is not optional—it transforms regular sweet corn into something with depth and complexity that plain corn kernels can never achieve.
  • Use real cotija cheese if you can find it; feta is a fine substitute, but it won't have that same salty, crumbly character that makes this dish distinctly street-corn inspired.
  • Taste the dressing before you add all the pasta and vegetables, because once everything is mixed, it's harder to adjust seasoning evenly.
03 -
  • Don't rinse the pasta with hot water—cold water stops the cooking immediately and keeps the noodles from getting soft and mushy.
  • If cotija feels impossible to find, look in the international or Latin section of your grocery store, but don't sleep on a good-quality feta as a backup; it won't be identical, but it'll be delicious.
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