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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

A creamy, bold elote-inspired pasta salad made with charred corn, rotini, cotija cheese, avocado, cilantro, and a zesty chili-lime dressing. Perfect for barbecues, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta Base
  • 12 oz rotini pasta or fusilli or cavatappi
Charred Corn
  • 3 cups corn kernels fresh, frozen-thawed, or canned and drained
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or butter for charring
Chili-Lime Dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice about 2 limes
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and black pepper to taste
Mix-Ins and Garnish
  • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled, divided
  • 0.5 cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 large avocado diced
  • 0.33 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced, optional

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Cast iron skillet or grill pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Colander

Method
 

  1. Cook rotini in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and corn kernels. Let char undisturbed for 2 minutes, then toss and cook another 2-3 minutes until deeply golden. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
  4. Add the cooled pasta to the dressing and toss to coat. Add charred corn, red onion, jalapeño if using, and half the cotija cheese. Toss again to combine.
  5. Gently fold in the diced avocado and most of the cilantro. Taste and adjust lime juice, chili powder, or salt as needed.
  6. Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with remaining cotija, extra chili powder, reserved cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately or refrigerate and add avocado just before serving.

Notes

For best results, char the corn in a very hot cast iron skillet. Add avocado right before serving to prevent browning. Salad without avocado keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Refresh leftovers with a splash of lime juice and a spoonful of mayo before serving.