If you love elote, you'll love this Mexican street corn pasta salad (aka elote pasta salad). It's perfect for BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and more!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Elote Pasta Salad
- FAQs
- Pro Recipe Tips
- What To Serve With Elote Pasta Salad?
- Storing Instructions
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- Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn)
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This summer, transform elotes (ee-low-tays), aka popular Mexican grilled street corn, into a simple and budget-friendly elote pasta salad. In this recipe, pasta and charred corn are tossed with a vegan mayo-based sauce inspired by traditional elote.
Once prepared, it's perfect for summery warm weather at BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and family dinners. Having said that, you can make it using fresh, frozen, or canned corn to enjoy it year-round.
Love vegan pasta salad recipes? You might also like vegan taco pasta salad or tortellini pasta salad.
The Ingredients and Substitutions
Please refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Pasta: Use short pasta shapes with 'nooks' for the sauce to cling. Like rotini, ditalini, shells, or elbow pasta. Giant couscous and orzo also work. Use regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free pasta.
- Corn: The star of the show! You can use fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained corn to enjoy elote corn pasta salad year-round. Save time with frozen fire-roasted corn.
Recipe Variations and Add-Ins
- More spice: Add a pinch of cayenne and/or finely diced jalapeno/serranos.
- Crunchy veg: Add diced bell pepper, radishes, and/or cucumber.
- Avocado: Add just before serving for healthy fats.
- Protein: Add grilled or air-fried tofu, shredded vegan chicken, or beans (black beans, pinto, or chickpeas).
- More crunch: Add crushed tortilla chips or toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Lighter dressing: Substitute some vegan mayo for vegan Greek yogurt.
How to Make Elote Pasta Salad
Step 1: First, cook the pasta in salted water minus 1-2 minutes, until al dente. Then drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Then, sauté the corn for 4-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Also, finely dice the red onion and chop the cilantro.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the vegan mayonnaise, plant milk (or reserved pasta water), lime juice, and seasonings.
Alternatively, char the corn on a grill instead.
Step 3: Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, and cilantro, and mix well, then fold in the vegan cheese, if using.
Step 4: Taste and adjust the salt, lime juice, or chili powder as needed, then transfer it to the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
For the best flavor, let it chill for 1-2 hours so the flavors can meld.
FAQs
This will halt the cooking process to avoid soggy pasta. However, if you're opposed, you could drain it thoroughly, then spread it across a large tray to speed up the cooling process.
As long as you don't mind warm vegan mayo, then sure. Add the herbs before serving.
Of course! This works perfectly with grilled corn, too.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta al dente: To avoid it being mushy.
- For more pasta flavor: Cook the pasta in well-salted water or vegetable broth/bouillon.
- Taste and adjust: The sauce should be a balance of creamy, spicy, and a little smoky. Adjust any element to your liking, though.
- Chill before serving: During this time, the flavors meld, enhancing its flavor.
What To Serve With Elote Pasta Salad?
Enjoy this Mexican corn pasta salad alone or as part of a BBQ, picnic, potluck, or larger meal alongside:
- Warm tortillas (corn or flour, for scooping)
- Tacos (black bean tacos, vegan chorizo tacos, chickpea walnut meat tacos)
- Burritos (or burrito bowls), vegan quesadillas, or vegan cheese enchiladas
- A protein (like grilled or air-fried tofu/tempeh, vegan chicken, etc.)
- Chips and dips (salsa, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, etc.) OR air fryer nachos
- Air fryer sweet potato wedges, zucchini fries, or polenta fries
Storing Instructions
Store elote pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
It thickens as it sits, with the pasta soaking up more sauce, so stir it before serving and add a splash of vegan milk or lime juice if preferred to loosen it up.
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If you tried this elote pasta salad (Mexican street corn) recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn)
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Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta (rotini, ditilini, shells, or elbow)
- 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ cup unsweetened, plain plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons lime juice or to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to cool.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vegan mayonnaise, plant-based milk, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the cooled pasta, charred corn, red onion, and cilantro to the bowl. Stir until evenly coated.
- Fold in the vegan cheese if using.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, lime juice, or chili powder as needed.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for best flavor.
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente: To avoid it being mushy.
- For more pasta flavor: Cook the pasta in well-salted water or vegetable broth/bouillon.
- Taste and adjust: The sauce should be a balance of creamy, spicy, and a little smoky. Adjust any element to your liking, though.
- Chill before serving: During this time, the flavors meld, enhancing its flavor.
Andrea says
Such a yummy pasta!
Michelle says
This was a hit with us! I only had half a package of my gluten free fusilli pasta so added pinto beans. Worked out great!
Andrea says
Love the pinto bean addition! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Deidre says
Tasty, and it goes for several meals. I left out the raw onion, but it tasted great. Thanks, Toni!
Andrea says
So glad you gave this pasta salad a go and enjoyed it! 🙂