Creamy Elote Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy Mexican-inspired pasta with charred corn, cotija cheese, and tangy lime dressing.
# 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
# How-To 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 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 smooth and well blended.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, cooked corn kernels, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and jalapeño to the dressing. Gently toss until every component is evenly coated.
04 - Taste 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 extra cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges alongside.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It captures everything addictive about Mexican street corn but feeds a crowd with almost no effort.
- The smoky, tangy, creamy dressing coats every ridged noodle so each bite hits like a full elote.
02 -
- Do not skip the chill time because the salad transforms from decent to incredible as the pasta absorbs the dressing.
- If you rinse the pasta too lightly it will clump together so shake the colander well and toss with a drizzle of oil if needed.
03 -
- Grill your corn directly on the flame until some kernels are deeply charred because those blackened bits are where the magic lives.
- Dress the pasta while it is still slightly warm so it soaks up more flavor than if it were completely cold.