This creamy elote pasta salad recipe is everything I love about traditional Mexican street corn—but turned into a chill, make-ahead pasta salad that’s perfect for your next summer BBQ. It’s loaded with roasted corn kernels, spicy chili powder, tangy lime juice, creamy mayo, and lots of cheese for the best flavor explosion ever.
Why You’ll Love It
In my opinion, this mexican inspired elote pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish.
If you’ve ever had traditional elotes—hot off the grill, slathered in creamy cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime—you already know this is gonna slap.
This adapted version brings all those bold, charred flavors of elote into a cold, creamy pasta salad that’s super easy to prep and perfect for the whole fam.
It starts with short pasta (ditalini for the win!) boiled until tender pasta perfection, then tossed with a creamy dressing made from mayo, Tajín, smoked paprika, and fresh lime juice.
It’s the kind of pasta salad that works a million different ways. Serve it as a side dish, load it up with black beans or rotisserie chicken for a full meal, or bring it to your next summer BBQ and watch it disappear.
You could swap in vegan mayo or sour cream, add some mexican crema or greek yogurt, or sprinkle the top with queso fresco or crumbled feta cheese. Your cheese, your choice!!!
This one checks all the boxes: creamy sauce, sweet corn, crunchy onions, juicy tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and cubes of cheese? Yes please.
Bonus—it’s done in under 30 minutes and gets even better the next day. So if you’re looking for a Mexican inspired street corn pasta salad with the perfect combination of sweet corn, spice, and creaminess—you just found it. Vamos a ello mis amigos!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This elote pasta salad recipe uses simple ingredients that come together fast and can be customized in all sorts of different ways. Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact amounts and full recipe. Here’s what you need for this perfect side dish:
- Ditalini Pasta: I love using this short pasta for salads, but any small pasta shape works. Cook in a pot of salted water until al dente, then rinse with cold water to chill.
- Mayonnaise: Classic creamy mayo makes the base of the dressing. Swap with sour cream, vegan mayo, Mexican crema, or greek yogurt depending on what you've got.
- Tajín, Smoked Paprika & Chili Powder: These are the key ingredients for that smoky-salty-slightly spicy elote flavor. Add garlic powder or cayenne pepper or a few dashes of Mexican Hot Sauce if you want extra heat.
- Lime Juice: Fresh is best! Use a juicy lime for tang, and add lime zest for even more brightness.
- Kosher Salt & Sugar: Balances everything out. You can also use pickled onion brine instead of sugar to loosen the dressing.
- Roasted Corn Kernels: I use grilled corn on the cob and cut the kernels off with a sharp knife. Canned corn (ideally fire-roasted corn) or frozen corn (thawed) work too. You can also char fresh corn in a large skillet over medium heat if you’re not grilling but still want that delicious charred flavor.
- Cheese: You can use whatever cheese your heart desires. I used big chunks of Land O Lakes® Cheddar Habanero Jack Cubes. These bring the heat and creaminess. And my fam LOVES big chunks of cheese in their pasta salad. But if you want something more traditional, sub with queso fresco or cotija. You could also try feta cheese or parmesan cheese if needed.
- Pickled Red Onions: Adds that pop of color and tang. Or use sliced red onion or green onions if you don't feel like making them.
- Tomatoes: Bring juicy, fresh flavor. You could also use some pico de gallo if you don't feel like chopping anything up.
- Cilantro: You can also toss in other fresh herbs or black beans for extra texture.
- Optional Additions: You could also add jalapeños or a few dashes of mexican hot sauce if you like it spicy!
How to Make It
This is an easy Mexican street corn pasta salad that comes together in just a few simple steps. Here's how to make this perfect dish!
- BOIL THE PASTA: Cook the ditalini pasta in a pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to chill the cooked pasta.
- MAKE THE DRESSING: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, Tajín, smoked paprika, chili powder, lime juice, sugar or pickled onion brine, and a pinch of kosher salt. This creamy dressing should be smooth and pourable. Notes: You can also prepare the dressing ingredients in a small bowl but why dirty more dishes?! Just prep make it all in one big bow! Oh, and with this recipe, there's no need for a food processor here.
- MIX THE SALAD: Add the chilled pasta (or room temperature pasta if you just cooked it) to the large bowl of dressing, followed by the cheese, shaved corn kernels, pickled red onions, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.
- TOSS & ADJUST: Give it a good toss until everything is evenly coated. If it feels too thick, add a splash more pickling liquid or olive oil or a spoonful of pasta water to loosen. Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
- CHILL OR SERVE: Serve right away. If you have leftover elote pasta salad, pop it in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to enjoy. It’s even better the next day! Feel free to loosen it up with some olive oil if it's too thick or clumpy.
What to Serve It With
Here are a few recipes to pair with this street corn salad:
- Corn chips or tortilla chips for scooping
- Top with grilled chicken thighs or grilled shrimp for a whole meal
- Trader Joe Birria Tacos
And if you'd like to try some new recipes that are kind of related - i got you!
- Mexican Street Corn Soup (Elote Inspired Recipe)
- Elote in a Cup Recipe (Esquites - Mexican Street Corn Salad)
- Honey Tequila Mexican Street Corn with Queso Fresco
- Hot Honey Butter Skillet Corn
- Easy Cool Ranch Corn Dip Recipe (aka Crack Corn Dip)
Recipe
Elote Pasta Salad Recipe (Mexican Inspired Street Corn)
Ingredients
- ½ Lb Ditalini Pasta
- 1 Cup Mayo
- 2 teaspoon Tajín
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Juicy Lime juiced
- 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
- 1 8 oz Package Land O Lakes Cheddar Habanero Jack Cheese Cubes (or 1 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco)
- 4 Ears Roasted Corn kernels shaved from the cob
- ¼ Cup Pickled Red Onions
- ½ Cup Chopped Tomatoes
- ¼ Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1 tablespoon Sugar (or ¼ Cup Pickled Onion Brine) to loosen and balance
Instructions
- Boil the ditalini pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to chill.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, Tajín, smoked paprika, chili powder, lime juice, sugar or pickling liquid, and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth.
- Add the chilled pasta to the bowl, followed by the Land O Lakes cheese cubes, shaved roasted corn, pickled onions, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.
- Toss everything together until evenly coated. Add more pickling liquid or pasta water to loosen if needed, and season with additional salt or black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to enjoy.
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