Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Flatlay of mexican corn salad with cilantro on top and two lime wedges.

5 from 12 votes

Mexican Street Corn Salad (also known as Esquites) highlights the tangy flavors of fresh charred juicy corn covered in a crema sauce of cilantro, Cotija cheese, and spices. A fresh spin makes this recipe perfect for potlucks or parties of any size.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: people

Calories: 177kcal

Author: Rachel

Cost: $15

Ingredients

3 Ears of Corn Can also use fire roasted corn kernels
1 tablespoon Butter for grilling the corn
8 oz Rotini Pasta
½ cup Cotija Cheese Substitute feta if you can't find cotija
¼ cup Chopped Cilantro Leaves
¼ cup Red Onion diced

Dressing

¼ cup Mayonaisse
⅓ cup Mexican Crema Substitute sour cream if necessary.
Salt and Pepper
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Chili Powder *See Note
½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika Plus more for garnish, if desired
1 teaspoon Lime Juice

Instructions

Light a grill. Remove the husks and season the corn with salt and pepper, if desired. Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning as needed, until cooked through with nice grill char marks, 8 to 10 minutes. Butter the corn lightly if desired just before it comes off the grill.
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Rinse under cool water and set aside to drain and cool.
Once corn has cooled to touch, remove the kernels. You can slice them off with a sharp knife or use a spoon to remove one whole column and then use your thumb to push out the corn kernels row by row (this is demonstrated in the post with photos.)
In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, crema, garlic powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
In a large bowl, add the pasta, corn kernals, cilantro, lime juice, and dressing mixture, Toss everything until well coated. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and stir slightly or leave on top.
If desired, you can sprinkle a little more paprika and cilantro over the cotija cheese. It gives more depth in the visual appearance.

Notes

Chile Powder and Chili powder are not the same thing. Chile powder is ground peppers, and can vary a lot in heat level. Chili powder is a mix of chiles, cumin, and other spices. For this recipe, I use chili powder because it is much easier to find, and I like the cumin. I can control the heat best as well.

Nutrition