Street Corn Pasta Salad is a perfect summer corn dish. Sweet charred corn is mixed with a creamy chili-lime sauce, cotija cheese, cilantro, and just the right amount of heat.
If you love Mexican street corn (elote), you’re going to want to try this Street Corn Pasta Salad. It combines fresh, lightly charred corn, a creamy cilantro-lime dressing, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro into a dinner that’s both comforting and packed with fresh summer flavor.
The best part? It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy weeknight meal that’s just as perfect for a backyard barbecue or potluck as it is for a busy Tuesday night.
For more ways to use up sweet summer corn, check out these recipes:
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Ingredients for street corn pasta salad
Fresh sweet summer corn is the star of street corn pasta salad.
Pasta
- Fresh corn
- Fusilli pasta
- Black beans
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Cotija cheese
- Butter
Cilantro-lime Dressing
- Cilantro
- Greek yogurt
- Lime
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Make dressing by combining all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor. Cover and process until smooth. With the food processor running, drizzle in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Step 2: Heat the grill to medium-high heat and add the corn. Grill corn, turning every few minutes and brush with butter until some of the corn is a little charred, about 10 minutes. Remove corn and let cool. Cut corn kernels off cob and add to a large serving bowl.
Step 3: Cook pasta then drain and rinse with cold water. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, onion, black beans, jalapeno and half a cup of cotija cheese to the bowl with corn. Gently stir in about ½ of the dressing. Cover bowl and let chill for about 2 hours, or until ready to serve.
Step 4: When ready to serve, add additional dressing as needed for desired consistency. Top with remaining cojita cheese and cilantro.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes.
- Creamy without being overly heavy.
- Full of fresh, bright flavors from lime and cilantro.
- Great way to use summer corn.
- Easy to customize with your favorite protein or vegetables.
Variations
This recipe is incredibly flexible. Here are a few easy ways to make it your own:
- Use frozen corn. No fresh corn? Frozen corn works perfectly. Look for a fire-roasted variety.
- Swap the cheese. Cotija provides the classic street corn flavor, but crumbled feta is an excellent substitute if that’s what you have.
- Add protein. Stir in grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.
- Try a different pasta. Rotini, penne, shells, bow ties, or cavatappi all work well.
Equipment
No special equipment is needed to make this pasta salad.
Storage
Store leftover Street Corn Pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FAQ
Yes! Look for fire-roasted and drain it well after thawing to reduce some of the liquid. While fresh or frozen corn develops the best flavor and texture, canned corn is a convenient option year-round.
Yes. You can prepare it up to one day in advance and refrigerate it. For the freshest flavor, add the cilantro, cotija cheese, and an extra squeeze of lime just before serving.
Short pasta shapes like cavatappi, rotini, penne, or shells work best because they capture the creamy sauce in every bite.
Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1lb box of short pasta such as fusilli
- 8 ears of corn, husked
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 15oz can of black beans
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup of diced red onion
- 1 large jalapeno, minced
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, divided
- ¼ cup of loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Cilantro-lime Dressing
- 2 cups cilantro
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Zest of ½ large lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3–4 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
- Make dressing by combining all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor. Cover and process until smooth. With the food processor running, drizzle in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add more if needed to create a smooth creamy texture. Set dressing aside while you prepare the pasta salad.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat and add the corn.
- Grill corn, turning every few minutes and brush with butter until some of the corn is a little charred, about 10 minutes. Remove corn from the grill and let cool.
- Cut corn kernels off cob and add to a large serving bowl.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, onion, black beans, jalapeno and half a cup of cotija cheese to the bowl with corn. Gently stir in about ½ of the dressing. Cover bowl and let chill for about 2 hours, or until ready to serve (up to 24 hours).
- When ready to serve, add additional dressing as needed for desired consistency. Top with remaining cojita cheese and cilantro.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Boiling, Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
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