Elote Street Corn Pasta (Printable)
Creamy charred corn pasta with cotija, lime, and chili-spiced dressing for summer cookouts.
# 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, 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 Steps:
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 cook without stirring for 2 to 4 minutes until charred 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 dressing. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold the crumbled cotija cheese into the salad, being careful not to break up the cheese too much.
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, 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 -
- It captures everything addictive about Mexican street corn but in a format that feeds a crowd with zero fuss.
- The dressing comes together in about two minutes and tastes like you spent far longer on it.
02 -
- Do not skip charring the corn because that single step is what separates a regular pasta salad from something people will actually remember.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is essential here since you want the dressing to coat the surface rather than slide right off warm slippery noodles.
03 -
- Pat frozen corn completely dry with a kitchen towel before charring or it will steam instead of developing those gorgeous dark blisters.
- Make the dressing a day ahead and keep it in the fridge because the garlic and chili powder deepen overnight into something even more delicious.