Elote Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Charred corn, creamy lime dressing, and cotija cheese tossed with pasta for a vibrant Mexican-inspired side dish.
# What You 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 - Additional 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
# How-To:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
02 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Spread corn kernels in an even single layer and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until lightly charred. Stir and continue cooking 2 additional minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, charred corn, quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped jalapeño (if using), and cilantro. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and well blended.
05 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Fold gently with a large spoon or spatula until all components are evenly coated.
06 - Fold crumbled cotija cheese into the salad. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder as desired.
07 - Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with additional cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The smoky, tangy, creamy dressing tastes like street corn met its soulmate and that soulmate was pasta.
- It comes together in about thirty minutes with zero fancy technique, just a hot skillet and a good whisk.
02 -
- If you do not dry frozen corn thoroughly before charring, it steams instead of chars and you lose that smoky magic entirely.
- Resting the salad for even fifteen minutes before serving lets the dressing seep into the pasta and transforms the flavor from good to impossible to stop eating.
03 -
- Use the hottest pan you can manage without oil for the corn, because dry charring is what gives you those gorgeous blackened spots that taste like actual grilled street corn.
- Crush a small handful of the cotija between your fingers as you add it so some melts into the dressing while some stays in chunky, salty pieces.