Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Print Version)

A creamy pasta blending sweet corn, cotija cheese, lime, and smoky spices for a vibrant dish.

# 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 fresh cilantro, chopped
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 Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set pasta 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 ground cumin; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, crumbled cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Add cooked pasta and corn mixture to the bowl with sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually if needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with additional cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges on the side.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than delivery would arrive, yet tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • The corn gets slightly charred and sweet while the lime and cotija cheese create this addictive brightness that hits every time.
  • It's the kind of casual, colorful meal that somehow feels special enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Don't skip charring the corn—that's where the depth and sweetness come from, and it transforms this from simple to genuinely special.
  • Cotija cheese doesn't melt, and that's exactly the point; it stays crumbly and gives you these pockets of salty, tangy texture throughout.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, pasta water is your friend; it has starch that helps emulsify and loosen everything without watering it down.
03 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining—the starch in it is essential for creating a sauce that clings to every piece of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing everything together; adjusting the lime juice, salt, and spices now means you won't have to go back and fix it later.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the sauce separate from the pasta and corn, then combine and warm gently just before serving to keep everything at its freshest.
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