Elote Street Corn Pasta Salad (Printable)
Smoky grilled corn meets tender pasta in a creamy, tangy lime dressing with cotija cheese for summer gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta Base
01 - 12 oz fusilli or rotini pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 ears corn on the cob (or 3 cups thawed frozen corn)
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1/4 red onion, finely diced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Creamy Dressing
07 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
08 - 1/2 cup sour cream
09 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
13 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Cheese
15 - 3/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (feta may be substituted)
→ Optional Additions
16 - 1 jalapeño, finely diced
17 - 1 avocado, diced
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fusilli or rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Place the corn directly on the grate and grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until kernels are lightly charred and blistered. Let cool, then stand each ear upright and slice the kernels from the cob. If using frozen corn, sauté in a dry skillet over high heat until golden and slightly charred.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if desired), sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and fully blended.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, grilled corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, red onion, green onions, and chopped cilantro to the dressing. Toss vigorously until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled cotija cheese along with the jalapeño and avocado, if using, taking care not to mash the avocado.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld. Taste before serving and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy, tangy dressing tastes like elote in liquid form, and it clings to every spiral of pasta like it was meant to be there.
- It comes together in about half an hour with zero fussy techniques, which means more time outside and less time hovering over a stove.
- The char on the corn adds a depth that makes people close their eyes and guess what your secret ingredient is.
02 -
- Do not skip the chilling step because the dressing needs time to soak into the pasta and the flavors need to marry, and warm pasta salad is a completely different, sadder experience.
- If you are using frozen corn, cook it in a dry skillet on high heat without oil so it chars rather than steams, and do not move it around too much.
03 -
- Char the corn a little more aggressively than you think you should because that deep blackened flavor is what makes this taste like street corn instead of regular corn salad.
- Reserve a small handful of cotija and cilantro for sprinkling on top right before serving so it looks as vibrant as it tastes.