This Elote Pasta Salad is the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors! A fresh, creamy dressing is combined with roasted corn, spices, fresh lime juice, and pasta for an incredibly flavor-filled dish. It's perfect for your next BBQ, potluck, or family gathering.
Are you tired of making the same old pasta salad over and over again? Look no further than this Elote Pasta Salad recipe as it brings bold, unique flavors together in one bite.
Elote, a popular street food from Mexico, combines grilled corn with creamy mayo, chili powder, lime, and cheese. So, why not take those amazing flavors and mix them into a pasta salad?
It's a great way to elevate your regular pasta salad and stand out at any gathering. Trust me, with a few simple ingredients, you'll have a dish that everyone will rave about!
If you are looking for more easy BBQ side dishes, check out my Smashed Potato Salad, High Protein Pasta Salad, Mexican Chicken Salad, American Coleslaw, or, Potato Salad With Spring Onions.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super Easy And Packed With Flavor: The creamy, spicy, and tangy ingredients create the perfect balance of flavor, and it's a simple recipe that doesn't take much time or effort-perfect for busy days.
- Great for Any Occasion: This Mexican street corn salad is the perfect side dish for your next summer BBQ, party, or weeknight dinner.
- Customizable: You can adjust the spice level, or add your favorite meat for a protein-packed dish.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I personally like to keep this recipe gluten-free and opt to use Jovial's brown rice pasta. You can use any short pasta shape that you like, gluten-free or not!
- Mayonnaise: The mayo provides part of the creaminess to the dressing. I recommend using an avocado oil mayo like Chosen Foods.
- Greek Yogurt: Instead of using all mayo for the dressing, I find that the combination of mayo and full-fat Greek yogurt provides extra creaminess without making the dressing super heavy.
- Garlic: Freshly grated garlic adds a little punch of kick and flavor. If you don't have fresh garlic you can substitute it with garlic powder.
- Lime Juice: Is the pièce de résistance! It provides that zesty kick that elevates the dish. You must use fresh lime juice, do not even think about using that stuff from the bottle!
- Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, And Cayenne: The spices used to provide a nice smoky, slightly spicy flavor to the dressing. If you don't enjoy a little spice, you can remove or reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.
- Sea Salt And Black Pepper: For the seasoning. You must always season your dishes!
- Frozen Fire-Roasted Corn: Here's a simple shortcut I love-using frozen fire-roasted corn. It's a huge time saver and easy to find at the grocery store! Just let it thaw in the fridge before using. But if you're up for a little extra effort, feel free to roast your own fresh corn for an even more flavorful touch.
- Cilantro: The cilantro adds a fresh herbal taste and really helps pull all the flavors together.
- Red Onion: I love adding red onion for the crunch and kick it provides. If you are not a fan you can leave it out.
- Feta Cheese: Typically, one may use cotija cheese, but, I'm a sucker for feta so that's what I used,
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions And Variations
- Add-Ins: You can add in your favorite fresh herbs, lime zest, green onions, diced bell peppers, or black beans. To make it a main dish try adding in canned tuna, shredded chicken, grilled steak, or your favorite protein.
- Cheese: Feel free to experiment with the cheese you use. Queso fresco, cotija cheese, or parmesan cheese would work well.
- Add Spice: For an extra kick, add some finely chopped jalapeños to the salad.
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free version, use vegan mayo, skip the Greek yogurt, and a dairy-free cheese alternative.
How To Make Elote Pasta Salad
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add a large pinch of salt to the water along with the pasta, and cook according to package directions.
Step 2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing by adding the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, pepper, and cayenne to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Step 3. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain it well and add the cooked pasta to a large bowl along with the corn, cilantro, red onion, and feta cheese. Drizzle ¾ of the creamy sauce over the top and toss everything together to combine.
Step 4. Top with additional cilantro, and crumbled cheese if desired. Allow the salad to chill in the fridge for 1 hour to overnight. Before serving drizzle the rest of the dressing on top and toss to combine.
Expert Tips And Notes
- Don't Overcook The Pasta: Make sure the pasta is al dente so it holds up well in the salad. If you overcook your pasta it can break down and not hold its shape.
- Make Ahead For Best Flavor: Allow the salad to chill for at least one hour as it lets all the flavors meld together, making it even tastier.
- Reserve Some Dressing: Save about a quarter of the dressing, as the salad will dry out a little once it cools. Add the remaining dressing right before serving.
Serving Suggestions For Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Grilled Meats: Pair with Traeger smoked chicken, Traeger grilled salmon, smoked burgers, or smoked hot dogs for a complete meal.
- BBQ Side Dishes: Serve alongside other popular BBQ side dishes like Turkish potato salad, creamy classic potato salad, or traeger smoked asparagus.
- Mexican Favorites: This salad is perfect alongside grilled shrimp tacos with mango salsa, Dutch oven barbacoa, or tacos de barbacoa.
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Storage And Reheating
- Storage: Store any leftover elote corn pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: While it's best served cold, you can also enjoy it at room temperature. Give it a good stir and add a little more lime juice or mayo for freshness.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! You can almost never go wrong with using fresh ingredients. I like using frozen corn in this recipe to save time and because fresh corn has a short season. I would recommend avoiding canned corn though.
Absolutely! In fact, it tastes even better when the flavors have had time to develop. Make it the night before and store it in the fridge for a quick and easy side dish.
To add more heat, stir in some chopped jalapeños or increase the chili powder in the dressing.
Other Related Side Dish Recipes
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Easy Elote Pasta Salad Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)
Ingredients
- 12 oz Pasta short to medium cut
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 clove Garlic grated
- ¼ cup Lime Juice fresh
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 16 oz Frozen Fire Roasted Corn thawed
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup Red Onion minced
- ⅓ cup Feta Cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add a large pinch of salt to the water along with the pasta, and cook according to package directions.12 oz Pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing by adding the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, pepper, and cayenne to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.½ cup Mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek Yogurt, 1 clove Garlic, ¼ cup Lime Juice, ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika, ½ teaspoon Chili Powder, ½ teaspoon Cumin, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper, ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain it well and add the cooked pasta to a large bowl along with the corn, cilantro, red onion, and feta cheese. Drizzle ¾ of the creamy sauce over the top and toss everything together to combine.16 oz Frozen Fire Roasted Corn, ¼ cup Cilantro, ¼ cup Red Onion, ⅓ cup Feta Cheese
- Top with additional cilantro, and crumbled cheese if desired. Allow the salad to chill in the fridge for 1 hour to overnight. Before serving drizzle the rest of the dressing on top and toss to combine.
Notes
- Don't Overcook The Pasta: Make sure the pasta is al dente so it holds up well in the salad. If you overcook your pasta it can break down and not hold its shape.
- Make Ahead For Best Flavor: Allow the salad to chill for at least one hour as it lets all the flavors meld together, making it even tastier.
- Reserve Some Dressing: Save about a quarter of the dressing, as the salad will dry out a little once it cools. Add the remaining dressing right before serving.
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