Elote Street Corn Pasta (Printable)
Creamy Mexican-inspired pasta with charred corn, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese. A crowd-pleasing summer side.
# What You'll 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 pepper, 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 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Cheese & Garnish
14 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for garnish)
15 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or Tajín for sprinkling
# How To Make:
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 cool completely. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over high heat. Spread the corn kernels in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2–4 minutes until charred on one side. Stir and continue cooking for another 2 minutes until evenly charred. 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 dressing. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled cotija cheese, being careful not to break it down too much.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust with additional salt or lime juice as needed to balance the flavors.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter. Top with extra crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 hours, tossing gently before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That smoky charred corn combined with creamy lime dressing tastes like something you paid sixteen dollars for at a food festival.
- It comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook, which means almost zero waiting around.
- You can make it ahead and it actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge.
02 -
- Do not stir the corn while charring or you will get steamed kernels instead of that gorgeous blackened flavor.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential here because warm pasta will melt the dressing into a greasy puddle.
03 -
- Let the skillet get screaming hot before the corn goes in because patience here is the difference between charred and steamed.
- A squeeze of lime over the finished bowl right before serving wakes up every single flavor at once.