Creamy Elote Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Creamy pasta salad with grilled corn, cotija cheese, lime, and smoky spices. A Mexican-American favorite.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)
→ Elote Dressing
02 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/4 cup sour cream
04 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
05 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables & Add-ins
10 - 2 cups cooked corn kernels (fresh, grilled, or canned; about 3 ears)
11 - 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta if unavailable)
12 - 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
13 - 1/4 cup diced red onion
14 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)
→ Garnish
15 - Additional cotija cheese
16 - Extra chopped cilantro
17 - Lime wedges
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a strainer and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside and let cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, cooked corn kernels, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced red onion, and finely diced jalapeño to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt, pepper, or chili powder as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with additional crumbled cotija cheese, extra chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Serve chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about two minutes and tastes like something you would pay good money for at a food truck.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or potlucks where dishes sit out for a while.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water because residual heat will melt the dressing into a greasy puddle.
- The salad tastes significantly better after resting in the fridge because the pasta absorbs the dressing and the spices bloom.
03 -
- Toast the cumin in a dry skillet for thirty seconds before adding it to the dressing to unlock a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Squeeze a little extra lime juice over the top right before serving to wake everything up and make the flavors pop one last time.