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Street Corn Pasta Salad

Street corn pasta salad that mimics Mexican elote with smoky chili-lime crema, charred corn, and crumbled cotija. Rotini gets tossed until creamy, then chilled for bold, tangy Tex-Mex flavor in every forkful.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dressing
  • 0.75 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder
Salad
  • 12 oz rotini pasta
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1 Tajin for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the chili-lime crema dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder until smooth, with no streaks visible.
Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook corn kernels, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 10 minutes until charred spots appear and kernels look slightly blistered.
Assemble the pasta salad
  1. Combine cooled rotini pasta, charred corn, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a large bowl so the mix is evenly distributed.
Coat and finish
  1. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat thoroughly, then fold in cotija so it disperses in crumbles.
Chill and taste
  1. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors meld, then taste and adjust lime juice or chili powder as needed.
Serve
  1. Top with extra cotija and dust with Tajin, then serve with lime wedges for brightness at the table.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the pasta fully before tossing so the crema stays thick and clings instead of turning watery. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze not recommended due to texture changes from the dairy. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt (keep crema/sour cream if you want the same tang), while still chilling before serving.