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–+ servings
elote pasta salad in wooden salad bowl after tossing

Easy Elote Pasta Salad

This Easy Elote Pasta Salad, inspired by Mexican Street Corn, is the most delicious side dish! It's filled with fire-roasted corn, cotija cheese, cilantro, and a creamy sauce. All you need is 20 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients to make it. Plus, it's gluten free!
Servings 8 people
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • juice from 1 lime
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • cayenne optional, to taste

For the Elote Pasta Salad:

  • 12 oz dry farfalle pasta (I used Jovial gluten free)
  • 16 oz frozen fire-roasted corn thawed according to package instructions
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion (or red onion)
  • ⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese + more to top

Instructions

  • First, start by cooking your pasta to al-dente according to package instructions. Be sure to heavily salt the water before adding your pasta! Once al-dente, drain and then rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking.
    12 oz dry farfalle pasta
  • In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired - adding more salt or cayenne if you like it spicier.
    ½ cup mayonnaise, juice from 1 lime, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 2 garlic cloves, cayenne
  • Add cooked pasta, thawed corn, cilantro, green onion and cotija cheese to a large salad bowl. Then, pour the dressing over top. Toss with tongs until combined.
    16 oz frozen fire-roasted corn, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup chopped green onion, ⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • Garnish with a bit more chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

GENERAL NOTE: This is a relatively lightly dressed pasta salad, which is my preference, but if you prefer a saucier pasta salad I'd recommend making another 1/2 batch of the dressing.
Calories: 329kcal
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Keyword: Cilantro, Corn, Cotija Cheese, Elote, Gluten Free, Mexican, Mexican Street Corn, pasta, Pasta Salad, Quick & Easy, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg