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’ll Need:
→ Pasta
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
→ 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 (or feta as a substitute)
→ Optional Additions
16 - 1 jalapeño, finely diced
17 - 1 avocado, diced
# How-to Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add fusilli or rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Place corn ears on a preheated hot grill or grill pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating every couple of minutes, until kernels are lightly charred and blistered. Let cool until handleable, then stand each ear upright and slice kernels from the cob. If using frozen corn, toast in a dry skillet over high heat until golden and slightly charred.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper if using, 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 thoroughly until every element is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold crumbled cotija cheese into the salad. Add finely diced jalapeño and diced avocado at this stage if desired, folding carefully to avoid mashing.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld together. Taste before serving and adjust salt and seasoning as needed.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smoky char on the corn against the cool creamy dressing is the kind of contrast that makes people go back for thirds without realizing it.
- It feeds a crowd easily and tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, which means zero stress on the day of your gathering.
02 -
- Do not skip the chilling step because the dressing needs that time to soak into the pasta and the flavors truly transform after a rest in the fridge.
- If you rinse the pasta too sparingly it will stick together in clumps, so run cold water over it generously and toss it a few times with your hands.
03 -
- Use a bundt pan to stand the corn upright while you slice off the kernels and they will fall neatly into the center hole instead of scattering across your counter.
- A tiny pinch of sugar in the dressing rounds out the lime and smoke in a way that makes people unable to identify but absolutely notice.