Elote Pasta Salad (Print version)
Creamy Mexican street corn pasta with cotija cheese, lime, and smoky spices in a tangy dressing.
# What goes in:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 ounces short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)
→ Elote Dressing
02 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/4 cup sour cream
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
09 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 (or feta if unavailable)
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 boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and let cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, cooked corn kernels, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and jalapeño to the dressing. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with additional cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve chilled.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- It captures every addictive note of street corn without the chaos of eating off a cob at a party.
- The creamy, smoky, lime kissed dressing clings to every pasta twist like it was engineered for joy.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential here, unlike with hot pasta dishes where you want the starch, because leftover heat turns the dressing greasy and causes the cheese to clump.
- Grilling the corn directly on the flame until slightly charred before cutting off the kernels transforms this from good to unforgettable.
03 -
- Salt your pasta water until it tastes like the ocean, because that is the only chance you get to season the pasta itself from within.
- Let the dressed salad rest at room temperature for ten minutes before serving, as the cold mutes the flavors and a slight warmup lets everything shine.