Description
A creamy, smoky, and zesty twist on traditional elote, tossed with pasta and chilled to perfection. Ideal for BBQs, potlucks, or as a bold weeknight side.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked rotini, fusilli, bowtie, or penne (al dente)
- 2 cups grilled corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- 1 small jalapeño, minced (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Garnish: more Cotija, lime wedges, cilantro, chili powder
Instructions
- Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
- Grill corn or sauté frozen/canned corn in a hot skillet until lightly charred.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, corn, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Toss with dressing until well coated.
- Gently fold in the crumbled Cotija cheese. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with extra Cotija, chili powder, and lime wedges before serving.
Notes
Use fresh ingredients for best flavor. Make ahead and chill to let flavors meld. For a protein boost, add grilled chicken or shrimp. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo/sour cream for a lighter version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 25mg