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Bowl of elote pasta salad with a wooden spoon.
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Elote Pasta Salad

This elote pasta salad recipe is full of flavor! Made with a creamy, homemade dressing thats tossed with pasta, cotija cheese, corn and onions.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: elote pasta salad, mexican street corn pasta salad
Servings: 8
Author: Heather Seeley

Ingredients

  • 1 lb small shell pasta or other small pasta

Dressing

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Pasta Salad

  • 1 (16 ounces) corn if using frozen corn, thaw the corn
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup red onions, diced
  • ½ cup cotija cheese, shredded or crumbled
  • sprinkle Tajin seasoning optional

Instructions

  • Boil the pasta to al dente according to the package. Drain water and rinse with cold water.
  • While the pasta is boiling, make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and stir until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
  • Place the pasta in a large bowl. Add the red onions, cilantro, cheese, and corn. Pour the dressing over the ingredients. Toss to combine and coat with the dressing.
  • Optional, add a little more shredded cotija cheese and a sprinkle of Tajin.

Notes

  • Don't skip cooking or grilling the corn. This gives it that street corn flavor. Make sure to let it cool a little before mixing with the pasta salad.
  • Use a microplane for the cheese. I like using a microplane to shred the cotija cheese. You can also crumble the cheese.
  • Cook pasta to al dente. This will help the pasta hold on to the dressing without becoming too soggy.
  • If you can't find cotija cheese, you can substitute with feta cheese.
  • Let the pasta salad chill. This lets the flavors come together.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg