Elote Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable)
Creamy Mexican street corn pasta with charred corn, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese. A summer side dish favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz short pasta (rotini or penne)
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen; about 4 ears if fresh)
03 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Dressing
06 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
08 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp chili powder
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt (more to taste)
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Cheese & Garnish
14 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
15 - 1/2 tsp chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool completely. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large dry skillet over high heat. Spread the corn kernels in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 4 minutes until charred and blistered on one side. Stir and continue charring the other side for about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, diced red onion, jalapeño, and chopped cilantro to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold the crumbled cotija cheese into the salad, distributing it throughout without overmixing.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or lime juice as desired.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter. Top with extra crumbled cotija cheese, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and a dusting of chili powder or Tajín. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours, tossing gently before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The smoky char on the corn transforms ordinary pasta salad into something people genuinely talk about the next day.
- It comes together in about half an hour with zero fussy techniques, which means you can make it while catching up with a friend in the kitchen.
02 -
- If you add the cotija too early and refrigerate overnight, the cheese turns gritty and the dressing thins out, so fold it in close to serving time.
- The corn must be completely dry before it hits the hot pan or it will steam instead of char, which is a completely different and much sadder result.
03 -
- Roast twice as much corn as you need and freeze the extra, so next time you can skip the charring step entirely and still get that smoky depth.
- A squeeze of lime over the finished bowl right before serving brightens everything in a way that no amount of extra salt can replicate.