Elote Pasta Salad (Printable View)
Creamy Mexican street corn pasta with cotija cheese, lime, and chili-spiced dressing for a flavorful side dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)
→ Elote Dressing
02 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/4 cup sour cream
04 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
05 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables & Add-ins
10 - 2 cups cooked corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or canned; about 3 ears)
11 - 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (feta may be substituted)
12 - 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
13 - 1/4 cup diced red onion
14 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)
→ Garnish
15 - Additional crumbled cotija cheese
16 - Extra chopped fresh cilantro
17 - Lime wedges
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a strainer and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and allow the pasta to cool completely.
02 - While the pasta cools, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth and all spices are evenly distributed.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, cooked corn kernels, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and jalapeño to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss everything together until all components are fully coated and evenly combined.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder as desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra crumbled cotija cheese, additional chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Serve chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes everything irresistible about street corn and turns it into something you can eat with a fork at a picnic table for hours.
- The dressing doubles as a dip for chips if you somehow have leftovers the next day.
02 -
- If you skip rinsing the pasta, the residual heat turns the dressing greasy and the whole bowl clumps together.
- Grilling the corn directly on a gas burner until slightly charred transforms this from good to the thing everyone talks about after the party.
03 -
- Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream to lighten the dressing without losing any tang.
- Cut the corn kernels off the cob standing upright in a large bowl to catch every stray kernel and keep your counter clean.