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Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn)

prep 10 minutes
cook 20 minutes
total 30 minutes
This Elote Pasta Salad is a combination of classic Mexican-inspired elote corn and a traditional pasta salad. The corn is grilled for a charred flavor and tossed with pasta in a creamy dressing with lots of cheese. It’s easy to assemble in less than 30 minutes and will be the first side dish finished at your next summer barbecue.
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Ingredients

The dressing:

  • 3 tbsp Sir Kensington's Avocado Oil Mayo
  • ½ cup greek yogurt
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

The rest:

  • 1 lb pasta of choice
  • 4-5 ears of corn
  • 2 bell peppers
  • ½ cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil

Instructions 

  • Step 1: Preheat grill to 450. Shuck the corn and brush olive oil on all sides. Slice the peppers into thirds and remove the seeds and stems. Coat in oil as well. Cook for about 4-5 min per side on the grill until they get a nice char on all sides.
  • Step 2: Remove from grill and using a knife, remove the kernels from the cobs and slice the pepper into bite sized pieces.
  • Note: If you don’t want to grill, you can roast the peppers for about 15 min on 425 in the oven and boil the corn (2 min in boiling water).
  • Step 3: In a food processor, combine all the smoky dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Season to taste- if you want it less spicy, add a little more mayo or greek yogurt.
  • Step 4: Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to box instructions. Drain and add to a large bowl. Top with corn, grilled pepper, cilantro and cotija cheese crumbles. Drizzle the dressing overtop and toss until creamy and combined. Enjoy!

Notes

Storage: 
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor will actually get better with time!
That means this is also a great recipe to make in advance.  Make it the morning of serving and serve it room temperature alongside some delicious main courses.
Expert Tips: 
  • Use a short pasta noodle. This will help the dressing adhere better and also make it easier to eat. We love penne, small shells, or elbows.
  • For a mild dressing, remove the seeds of the chipotle in adobo. They are super spicy when the seeds are left in, so this will help in making it more mild.
  • Use frozen corn if fresh is not in season. This elote pasta salad is great to enjoy all year round. You can use frozen and thawed corn or even frozen fire roasted corn for a charred taste.
  • Dress the pasta salad while it’s still warm. This is a key tip that actually helps the pasta to absorb the flavors of the dressing better for a stronger flavor.
  • There is no real swap for cotija cheese, you can use queso fresco or even feta or parmesan if you can't find it at the store. The flavor will be a little different than traditional elote.