Elote Pasta Salad (Printable)
Charred corn pasta with creamy lime dressing, cotija cheese, and smoky chili spices for summer gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne)
→ Vegetables & Corn
02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3-4 ears of corn)
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Cheese & Garnish
07 - 3.5 oz cotija cheese, crumbled (feta may be substituted)
08 - Extra cilantro and cotija cheese for garnish (optional)
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
10 - 2 tbsp sour cream
11 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
16 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Step-by-step:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Spread the corn kernels in an even single layer and let them cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly charred. Stir and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, charred corn, quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped jalapeño (if using), and cilantro.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
06 - Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
07 - Transfer to a serving dish and top with additional cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smoky, creamy, tangy flavors of street corn get absorbed by every spiral and ridge of short pasta, making each bite explosive.
- It comes together in about half an hour with zero fancy techniques, which means you can pull it off while half listening to a podcast and still impress everyone at the cookout.
02 -
- If you rinse the pasta too late it will continue cooking in its own heat and turn gummy, so move fast from colander to cold water.
- Walking away from the corn while it chars is the quickest path to a smoky kitchen disaster, so stay at the stove and listen for the gentle popping sound that tells you the sugars are caramelizing.
03 -
- Grilling the corn directly on the cob instead of charring loose kernels adds a deeper smokiness that makes the salad taste like it came from a professional kitchen.
- To make it vegan without losing the soul of the dish, swap in plant based mayo and sour cream, then use a generously salted almond based crumble in place of cotija.