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a spoonful of elote pasta salad over a white bowl.

Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn-Inspired Pasta Salad)

Paula
The irresistible flavors of Mexican street corn meets pasta salad in this super easy and healthy recipe. This Elote Pasta Salad is ideal for backyard barbecues, picnics, and packed lunches. It's a perfect make ahead option for meal prep too. SO GOOD.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 328.9 kcal

Equipment

  • pot (medium) to cook the pasta and corn
  • Cutting board and knife
  • serving bowl
  • mixing/serving spoon

Ingredients
 
 

  • 150 grams pasta small shape like orzo or ditallini
  • 1 tablespoon salt for the pasta water
  • 400 grams corn fresh or frozen
  • 100 grams Greek yogurt
  • 100 grams mayonnaise
  • 2 limes zest and juice
  • 2 teaspoon tajin
  • 1 teaspoon salt to season the dressing
  • ½ red onion
  • 85 g Cotija or Feta cheese
  • 20 g cilantro plus more for garnish (optional)
  • Pickled jalapeño for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Bring a medium-sized pot with 2 litres of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water, then add the pasta and cook, stirring, according to the package instructions.
  • While the pasta cooks, chop the red onion and cilantro and set it aside.
  • When the pasta is cooked, add the corn and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. If using frozen corn, it’ll be closer to 2 minutes.
  • Drain the pasta and corn through a colander, and rinse with cold water for 1 minute to stop the cooking process.
  • Transfer the drained pasta and corn to a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients (greek yogurt, mayo, lemon zest and juice, tajin, salt, chopped red onion and cilantro) and mix well to combine.
    *Note: You can also mix the dressing in advance in the bottom of the bowl if you prefer, but I didn't do that this time :)
  • Serve with more cilantro and slices of pickled jalapeno (optional).

Video

Notes

  • While traditional elote uses grilled corn, I prefer boiling it in the pasta water to save steps and dishes. This works particularly well with frozen corn. However, if you have fresh corn and want to grill it instead, I fully support it! Just cook the pasta for 1 extra minute, then add the grilled corn with the onions and other ingredients later.

Nutrition

Calories: 328.9kcalCarbohydrates: 37.2gProtein: 9.8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.8gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 20.4mgSodium: 1850.5mgPotassium: 290.6mgFiber: 3.3gSugar: 5.1gVitamin A: 482.9IUVitamin C: 11.7mgCalcium: 109.6mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Corn, pasta
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