This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a cold, creamy side made with spiral pasta, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, spring onion, and sliced onion, all tossed in a lime and chili dressing that channels classic elote.

It’s the kind of salad that gets better the longer it sits, so it’s an easy one to make ahead.

I bring this to cookouts, potlucks, and pretty much any gathering where people expect a big bowl of something colorful next to the grill.

It also holds up fine in the fridge for lunches through the week, which is a bonus.

If you like easy pasta salads and sides, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

This one comes together with a handful of pantry staples and fresh produce (nothing you can’t find at a regular grocery store).

I like a short pasta shape like rotini here, the ridges hold onto the dressing better than a smooth noodle would.

Ingredients

3 cups cooked spiral pasta (rotini), cooled
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or grilled)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced spring onion (green onion)
1/2 cup sliced onion (red or white)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Cook the spiral pasta in well-salted boiling water according to the package directions, until al dente.
Drain it and rinse under cold running water until it’s completely cool to the touch.
This stops the cooking and keeps the pasta from turning mushy once it’s mixed with the dressing.
While the pasta cools, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth.
Taste it here and adjust. More lime if you want it brighter, more chili powder if you want more kick.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, sliced spring onion, and sliced onion.
Toss gently with a spatula so the tomatoes don’t break apart.
Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Work in batches if the bowl feels too full. It’s easier to coat everything evenly that way.
Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese gently, just until it’s distributed through the salad.
If you’re making this ahead of time, hold the cheese back and add it right before serving so it doesn’t get mushy.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
This step takes a little patience, but it’s worth it.
The salad tastes noticeably better once the dressing has had time to soak in.
Just before serving, give the salad a final toss and taste for salt.
Top with chopped cilantro and an extra pinch of chili powder if you want more color and flavor on top.
Serve chilled or at room temperature and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water. This stops the cooking and cools it down fast so it doesn’t wilt the other ingredients when you mix everything together.
Drain the black beans well. Extra liquid waters down the dressing and makes the whole salad soggy.

Let the salad chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the flavors time to come together, and it’s noticeably better after it sits.
Add the cotija cheese right before serving if you’re making this ahead. It softens and gets a little mushy if it sits in the dressing too long.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a quick toss before serving again since the dressing settles at the bottom.
Don’t freeze this one. The mayo-based dressing separates once thawed and the texture never really recovers.
Swap black beans for pinto beans if that’s what you have on hand, the flavor difference is minor.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Serve this cold or at room temperature, straight from the bowl or scooped onto a bed of greens for a bigger plate.

It pairs well with grilled chicken, tacos, or really anything coming off the grill. A final sprinkle of chili powder and cotija right before serving makes it look, and taste, like it just came together.

Storage:

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta soaks up some of the dressing as it sits, so give it a good stir and add a splash of lime juice or a spoonful of mayo if it looks dry before serving again.

I don’t recommend freezing this one, the dressing doesn’t come back together well.

Customization:

Swap the black beans for pinto or kidney beans, or leave them out entirely if you’d rather keep this lighter.

Grilled corn adds a smokier flavor than frozen or canned, if you have the time for it. For extra heat, stir in a diced jalapeno or a pinch of cayenne along with the chili powder.