Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. A pasta salad made with corn, jalapeno and fresh cheese. Tossed with a creamy-tangy dressing made with cream, mayonnaise and a spicy touch. This Mexican pasta salad recipe is sure to be a hit at any summer dinner or summer bbq!

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Mexican street corn pasta salad is a tasty pasta salad recipe with tender pasta combined with the flavors of Mexican street corn and then mixed with a creamy chili lime dressing. If you love Mexican corn and you love being able to make an easy pasta salad recipe then you are going to love this Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe.

This corn pasta salad is based off my favorite Mexican street corn recipe. I have yet to get that recipe up on the blog but I was in the mood for a delicious pasta salad and Mexican street corn and thought a great idea was to combine the two and make this amazing corn pasta salad.

This easy Mexican pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish recipe that goes with just about every summer main dish recipe you can think of. This easy to make pasta salad recipe has amazing bold flavors, mixed with a homemade creamy dressing that makes this a great side dish to serve for dinner or make ahead of time to enjoy for lunch.

Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

• Chickpea pasta Salad
• Egg Salad Pasta Salad
• Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
• Sun dried tomato pasta salad
• Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad
• Tahini Pasta Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad

Tips and Variations

Don’t overcook the pasta. It is important to not overcook the pasta. Cook just until al dente and then drain them and then cool the pasta while in the strainer with cold water until all of the pasta is cooled. This will prevent a soggy pasta salad.

Cool the pasta completely. Just like overcooking pasta will give you a mushy pasta salad, so will noodles that are not cooled all the way. As soon as they are done cooking you want to shock the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Let pasta salad sit before serving. You can serve this pasta salad immediately after making it however I find pasta salad is best when it has time to sit in the fridge and all of the flavors are able to mix together. Letting the pasta salad sit for a few hours before serving results in a more flavorful and delicious Street Corn Pasta Salad!

No Mexican crema? Replace it with Greek yogurt or sour cream.

No queso fresco cheese? Replace queso fresco cheese with Cotija cheese or Feta cheese. Shredded mozzarella also works nicely in this recipe.

Don’t like spicy? Skip the jalapeno peppers.

Add beans. You can add a can of rinsed black beans for added flavor and nutrition.

Change up the pasta. I like using fusilli pasta, but you can also use rotini, bowtie pasta, elbow macaroni, or any type of pasta that is small.

Add Protein. If you are wanting to add a protein then I suggest adding chicken, grilled chicken or shredded chicken are great additions. You can also use shrimp or grilled steak.

Add more veggies. You can also add diced ripe avocado, red onion or white onion.

Can I use Frozen Corn?

I prefer to use freshly cooked corn when making mine, however, you can use frozen corn, canned corn, grilled corn, or fresh corn steamed to make this pasta salad. You can use cooked corn on the cobb and then remove the corn kernels and use as well.

What to serve with Pasta Salad

There are lots of great main dishes and side dishes that go along well with this easy macaroni salad recipe. Check out some of our favorites dishes that we make when we are having this cold macaroni salad. Seriously anything that you cook on the grill will work perfectly with this cold pasta salad recipe. Check out some of my favorite summer dishes that go well with pasta salad.

• Hot dogs
• Hamburgers
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Grilled Steaks
• Chili Lime Chicken
• Bacon Wrapped Scallops
• Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Can I make this ahead of time?

Things are always so busy in my house that having things done ahead of time makes my life so much easier. That is why I meal plan and prep ahead of time often. The great thing about this pasta salad is that I can make it ahead of time and have it for dinner a few nights in a row as a side dish. It also makes a great lunch too!

How to store Pasta salad?

Pasta salad needs to be stored in the fridge and is best stored in an air-tight container. You can use a bowl and plastic wrap but I find an airtight container like these is best. This pasta salad will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 14 ounces fusilli pasta, uncooked.
• 1 cup of jalapeno peppers, diced.
• 1 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 1 cup queso fresco cheese
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil (for coating pasta)
• Salt, as needed

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Dressing Ingredients

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cup Mexican crema
• 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Cook the uncooked pasta as suggested on the package instructions for al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and, Drain the cooked pasta, rinse with cold water, and pour it into a large bowl.

Add the olive oil and toss to coat the pasta.

Place all ingredients for the dressing (Mexican crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, paprika, chili powder and salt) in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.

Add corn, jalapeno peppers, and queso fresco cheese to the bowl with pasta and mix well.

Then add the dressing and toss to coat well.

Taste and adjust with more seasonings (salt, paprika, chili, lime) if you want and serve.

Easy Summer Recipes

• Roasted Cauliflower
• Olive Garden Salad
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Chicken Taco Salad
• Beef taco salad
• BLT Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Crispy chicken, cranberry and apple salad
• Big Mac Salad