Elote Pasta Salad with Roasted Corn and Cotija

Give your next barbecue or Mexican-inspired meal a flavor boost with this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Inspired by elote, it blends charred corn, fresh cilantro and salty cotija cheese with macaroni in a creamy chili-lime dressing. Bright, slightly smoky and creamy, this salad comes together quickly—about 25 minutes—and makes a vibrant, crowd-pleasing side for potlucks, picnics, and backyard cookouts.

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is traditionally grilled corn smeared with mayo or crema, then finished with lime, chili, cotija cheese and cilantro. This salad takes those familiar, delicious flavors and mixes them with tender macaroni to create a colorful, satisfying side dish. You’ll get sweet, slightly charred kernels, a tangy, creamy dressing and a salty cheese bite in every forkful.

Ingredients

• Corn – 3 cups of kernels. If fresh ears are available, grill them for the best, most authentic flavor; otherwise canned or frozen corn works well. Three good-size ears yield about 3 cups of kernels.
• Macaroni noodles – about ½ pound (roughly 1 ¾ cups dry). You can substitute another small pasta like rotini, small shells, penne or bowties.
• Red onion – ¼ cup, minced. Red onion gives a crisp bite; substitute sweet yellow onion if you prefer a milder taste.
• Cotija cheese – ½ cup, crumbled. If you can’t find cotija, queso fresco or feta are good alternatives.
• Fresh cilantro – ¼ cup, chopped. Adds bright, herbal notes; use parsley if you don’t care for cilantro.
• Sour cream – ½ cup, part of the creamy dressing base.
• Mayonnaise – ½ cup, to round out the dressing. You can use all sour cream if you prefer, but the texture and richness will differ.
• Fresh lime juice – 3 tablespoons, for brightness.
• Chili powder – 2 teaspoons, plus salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cayenne pepper – ½ teaspoon optional for heat. Omit if you prefer a mild salad, or swap in a few dashes of hot sauce.

Instructions

The steps below will guide you through the recipe. If you prefer, you can grill the corn ahead of time and assemble the salad later.

1. Char the corn. If using fresh ears, grill them directly on the grates (out of the husks) until the kernels show char marks. Allow to cool slightly, then slice the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife. If using canned or frozen corn, sauté 3 cups of drained kernels in 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat in a skillet for 4–6 minutes until lightly charred. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta, then transfer to a large bowl.
3. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Add cayenne if you want extra heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Combine the salad. Add the charred corn, minced red onion, crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro to the cooled pasta. Pour the dressing over the mixture.
5. Toss and chill. Gently toss the salad until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld; you can chill it up to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with extra cotija and cilantro, if desired.