Go Back

Esquites Pasta Salad

Esquites pasta salad combines rotini with charred yellow corn kernels in a smoky chili-lime crema dressing. It’s finished with crumbled cotija cheese and a Tajin dust for bold Mexican street corn flavor.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini or elbow pasta
  • 12 oz rotini or elbow pasta Use dried for best bite.
corn kernels
  • 3 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen both work.
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.25 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
lime juice
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder
cayenne pepper
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Plus more for topping.
red onion
  • 0.25 cup red onion Finely diced.
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped.
Tajin or extra chili powder for garnish
  • Tajin or extra chili powder for garnish Dust to taste.
lime wedges for serving
  • lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta and char corn
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then cook the rotini or elbow pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add corn kernels and char them undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until blistered.
  3. Stir the charred corn and cook another 2 minutes. Spread the corn on a sheet pan (or cool it briefly in the skillet) until it’s ready to mix.
Make crema dressing and chill
  1. In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne until smooth. Keep whisking until the dressing looks evenly creamy.
  2. Add the cooled pasta and charred corn to the dressing. Toss until rotini and corn are fully coated.
  3. Fold in cotija cheese, red onion, and cilantro. Stir gently so the cotija distributes without turning into a paste.
  4. Refrigerate the pasta salad for 20 minutes to firm up and deepen the flavors. Serve chilled or closer to room temperature after resting.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with more cotija cheese and a dusting of Tajin (or extra chili powder) right before serving. Aim for a concentrated center so each scoop gets the street-corn topping.
  2. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the bowl. Add wedges around the edges for easy grab-and-go flavor.

Notes

For the most street-corn vibe, cool the charred corn briefly before tossing so the crema doesn’t thin. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for 3-4 days; freezing isn’t recommended because the crema dressing can separate. Dietary swap: use Greek yogurt instead of Mexican crema/sour cream for a lighter tang while keeping the same chili-lime seasoning.