🌽 Elote Pasta Salad
Charred corn, tender pasta and a zesty dressing that’s equal amounts creamy, smoky, sweet, and a touch spicy — this is elote pasta salad.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 220 g pasta I used fusilli bucati corti
- 200 g corn I used frozen
- ½ tablespoon olive oil for cooking the corn
- 1 small handful cilantro coriander, finely chopped
- 1 avocado cut into chunks
- 100 g cotija or feta cheese crumbled
For the Dressing
- 50 g mayonnaise
- 100 g yoghurt
- 1 lime, juiced and zested (1 lime = about 2 tablespoons juice)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Boil 220 g pasta in plenty of well-salted water for around 10 minutes, or according to package directions. You want it just slightly al-dente for pasta salad.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan. Add 200 g corn and cook over medium heat, until charred. Don't stir too often, as it stops the corn from charring. Once done, remove from the heat.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and cool.
- Mix 50 g mayonnaise, 100 g yoghurt, 1 lime, juiced and zested, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 cloves garlic (minced), ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder in a large salad bowl. This is your creamy, smoky, spicy dressing!
- Once the pasta has cooled, add it to the same salad bowl as the dressing. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add the cooked corn to the same salad bowl along with 1 small handful cilantro (finely chopped). Finish off with 1 avocado (cut into large chunks) and 100 g cotija or feta cheese (crumbled). Mix the elote pasta salad well and serve.
Notes
To make the recipe gluten free, just swap standard wheat-based pasta for a gluten free alternative. My suggestions are gluten free elbow pasta, gluten free fusilli, or gluten free penne.Â
To make vegan elote pasta salad, substitute yoghurt for a non-dairy neutral unsweetened alternative such as soy or oat (depending on your preference). Next, use vegan mayonnaise: I like vegan Hellmann’s mayo,  Follow Your Heart original vegenaise or the brand’s soy free alternative. Finally, swap cotija or feta for a vegan alternative. I’ve loved Violife Greek-like feta block, available in both the U.S. and U.K.
While you can refrigerate the elotes pasta salad for up to three days, it's best to add the chopped avocado and cilantro (coriander) before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Calories: 552kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 15gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 687mgPotassium: 592mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 571IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 201mgIron: 2mg
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