Corn Elote Pasta Salad
A quick and creamy pasta salad that combines the sweet, charred flavors of elote with pasta, perfect for picnics and potlucks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Chilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini or bowtie pasta
- 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or frozen and thawed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as a substitute)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil and char the corn with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Cool.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth.
- Mix cooled pasta, corn, red onion, and tomatoes in a big bowl.
- Toss with dressing until coated. Fold in cotija and cilantro.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes. Add extra cotija, chili powder, and lime before serving.
Notes
For best texture after chilling, cook pasta a bit less than package time. Use cotija for authentic flavor; feta works well if cotija is not available.
Find it online: https://zestuni.site/corn-elote-pasta-salad/