Creamy Elote Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy Mexican street corn pasta with cotija cheese, lime, and chili-spiced 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 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 (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 cotija cheese for topping
16 - Extra chopped fresh cilantro
17 - Lime wedges for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the 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, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, 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 with a spatula until every component is evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder as needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates. Top generously with additional crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime from the wedges. Serve chilled.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It takes everything irresistible about Mexican street corn and turns it into something you can eat with a fork at a picnic.
- The smoky, tangy, creamy dressing clings to every spiral of pasta like it was designed for this exact purpose.
02 -
- Warm pasta will melt the dressing into a greasy puddle, so patience during the cooling step is nonnegotiable.
- Grilling the corn directly on the flame until some kernels blacken and blister is the single detail that takes this from good to extraordinary.
03 -
- If you can only find feta instead of cotija, soak the crumbled feta in cold water for ten minutes to tame its saltiness before adding it to the salad.
- A light dusting of Tajin over the finished bowl right before serving adds an extra layer of citrusy heat that makes people ask what your secret is.