Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable)

Pasta tossed with charred corn, cotija cheese, lime, and chili for a creamy, flavorful meal.

# What You 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
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:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta according to 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 mixing 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 sauce. Toss thoroughly until well coated, adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
  • The combination of charred corn, tangy lime, and salty cotija cheese creates a flavor explosion that feels both familiar and surprising.
  • One-skillet simplicity with restaurant-quality results that make you look like you actually have your life together.
02 -
  • Charring the corn is not optional—it's the step that separates this from just being creamy pasta; don't rush it or skip the high heat.
  • Reserve the pasta water before you drain it, because creamy sauces always need that starch to cling to the noodles properly.
  • Taste the sauce before you mix everything together so you can adjust the lime and salt; you can't take it back once the pasta's in.
03 -
  • If you can't find cotija cheese, crumbled feta works in a pinch, though it's slightly less salty and won't give you that exact street-corn authenticity.
  • For extra heat, dice a jalapeño or two and add it to the corn as it chars, or drizzle hot sauce over individual bowls at the end.
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