Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta tossed with charred corn, cotija cheese, lime, and a hint of chili and spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Corn Mixture

03 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
04 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin

→ Creamy Sauce

09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
11 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
12 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ To Finish

15 - Additional cotija cheese for garnish
16 - Extra chili powder or Tajín for garnish
17 - Fresh cilantro leaves
18 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook pasta following package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly charred and golden. Stir in garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn mixture to the bowl with the sauce. Toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Serve immediately topped with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It brings all the smoky, tangy, creamy magic of street corn into a dish you can twirl on a fork.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta, so you get lime, cheese, and charred corn in each bite.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and it tastes like you spent all day on it.
  • Leftovers (if there are any) taste incredible cold straight from the fridge the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; it's the only thing that will bring the sauce back to life if it thickens up too much.
  • Char the corn over high heat and resist the urge to stir it constantly, or you'll steam it instead of caramelizing it.
  • Taste the sauce before you toss everything together, because cotija varies in saltiness and you might need less salt than you think.
03 -
  • Use a pasta shape with ridges or curves, because smooth pasta like spaghetti won't hold onto the sauce the same way.
  • If you can find Tajín seasoning, use it for garnish instead of plain chili powder; the lime salt blend is a game changer.
  • Don't overdress the pasta; you can always add more sauce, but you can't take it back once it's soupy.
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