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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
By Sammi Brondo — October 6, 2026
Charred corn, spiral pasta, cotija, and a creamy lime dressing come together in this easy Mexican street corn pasta salad. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s the perfect side dish for BBQs, weeknight dinners and summer weekends.
I know we’re at the very end of summer, but this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad cannot be missed. It’s a must make while corn is still is season!
Not to mention, you probably need a recipe for Labor Day weekend, right? This is it.
I think I’ve used corn this summer more than I ever have before.
A few months ago, I gave my 17 month old corn on the cob – and it was pure bliss. He loved eating it and had so much fun in the process.
Since then, I’ve cooked with it a lot – always looking for new ways to use it and eat it. (Ah, the joys of a 1 year old who isn’t yet picky!).
Safe to say, he and I both gobbled up this pasta salad. It’s so simple, but full of flavor.
The corn is charred and then cut off of the cob. You can use a grill or grill pad here. You can also use tongs to hold the corn over a gas stove until it’s charred.
The charred corn is mixed with Cojita cheese and scallions.
Everything comes together with the most delicious dressing. It’s made with mayo, lime juice and zest, and salt. So simple, but so flavorful.
Pairing it with a curly-shaped pasta is what ties everything together. It adds a fun new texture and more nutrients to make this dish extra filling.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is easy and full of flavor. If you’re looking for something delicious to meal prep or to bring to a summer event, this is it.
It’s a simple pasta salad that comes together quickly, but is so good. And it’s an amazing way to use seasonal corn!
You’ll love this pasta salad as an easy and refreshing lunch, as a dinner side dish, or as a salad when entertaining.
Try it with grilled chicken or a simple seared salmon for an easy, satisfying, and nutritious summer meal.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Prepare ingredients
Prepare your ingredients to make this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Start by cooking one cup of pasta.
Cut corn off of the cob
Remove the corn from the pan and cut the corn off of the cob.
Prepare the dressing
In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, and salt.
Add ingredients to bowl
To the bowl with the corn, add the cooked pasta, green onion, parsley, and Cojita cheese.
Add dressing
Pour the dressing over the bowl.
Toss
Toss and mix to combine.
Serve
Serve Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad with fresh limes and tortilla chips.
If You Love This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Try These
- Charred Corn & Spice-Rubbed Chicken Salad
- 15-Minute Black Bean, Corn, and Avocado Salad
- BBQ Salmon with Avocado and Corn Salad
- Fish Tacos with Avocado & Charred Corn Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Corn: While corn on the cob will give the most flavor here, you can also use canned corn or frozen corn to save time. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh – and nothing can beat how long they last.
- Mayonnaise: You’ll use mayo as the base for the dressing.
- Lime: This recipe uses both lime juice and zest to really bring out the tangy, fresh lime flavor. Use a hand grater like this to zest the lime.
- Olive oil: You’ll add just a little olive oil to the skillet or grill pan in order to char the corn.
- Green onion: Green onion adds plenty of flavor to this pasta salad.
- Parsley: Many Mexican street corn recipes use cilantro. It recently started tasting like soap for me and I can’t get past it, so I used parsley instead. If you like cilantro, use it. Or you can mix half and half cilantro and parsley.
- Pasta: I originally made this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe as a dip without the pasta. It’s delicious both ways! If you feel like making it into a dip instead, make sure to pair with crunchy tortilla chips and/or crunchy veggies (like carrot and cucumber sticks) to dip. If you do make it as is as a pasta salad, make sure to use a curly or spiral-shaped pasta that all the flavors will really cling to well.
- Cojita cheese: Cojită cheese adds a delicious, salty flavor to this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Make sure it’s grated.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Tips
- Cooking the corn: Make sure to leave the corn on the skillet for a few minutes before turning so that it gets a good char. To cut the corn, a sharp knife works best. This one has been my go to for years (or try this if you need a new set!).
- Storage: You can store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It tastes best when just made though, so if you can, I recommend prepping everything (char the corn and prepare the sauce) ahead of time, and then mixing everything together right before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients
- 3 ears of corn
- Olive oil to brush corn
- 1/4 cup mayo
- Zest + juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tbsp green onion chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Cojita cheese, grated
- Salt
- 1 cup pasta, cooked
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pan or grill pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the corn on the pan until it’s slightly charred on all sides. Try to leave it for a few minutes before rotating it in order to get a good char.
- Remove the corn from the pan and cut the corn off of the cob. Add to a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, and salt. Mix well until smooth and set aside.
- To the bowl with the corn, add the cooked pasta, green onion, parsley, and Cojita cheese. Add the dressing and toss to combine.
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