Creamy Elote Pasta Salad (Print View)
Creamy Mexican street corn meets pasta with cotija cheese, lime, and smoky spices in a crowd-pleasing side dish.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 ounces 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 pepper, 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 thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and allow the pasta to cool completely.
02 - While the pasta cools, combine the 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 the dressing is smooth and all spices are evenly incorporated.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, cooked corn kernels, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and minced jalapeño to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss everything together using a large spoon or spatula until all ingredients are uniformly coated with the dressing.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder as desired. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
05 - Transfer the chilled pasta salad to a serving dish. Top with additional crumbled cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. Arrange lime wedges around the edges of the platter and serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It delivers every bold, tangy, smoky note of Mexican street corn but in a form that feeds a crowd without last minute fuss.
- The dressing comes together in about two minutes and tastes like you spent far longer on it.
02 -
- Hot pasta will melt the dressing into a greasy puddle, so patience while it cools is the single most important step.
- The salad tastes noticeably better on day two once the lime and smoke have soaked into every spiral, making it a perfect make ahead dish.
03 -
- A squeeze of lime juice right before serving, on top of what is already in the dressing, brightens everything after refrigeration.
- Toast the chili powder in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to the dressing and you will unlock a deeper, rounder heat.