Description
A smoky, creamy, and tangy pasta salad featuring charred corn and zucchini with a classic elote dressing. This vegetarian dish is perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini or penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 4 ears fresh corn on the cob (about 3 cups kernels)
- 2 medium zucchini (about 400g), diced
- 1 medium red onion (about 150g), diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down quickly; set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Cut corn kernels off the cobs directly into the hot pan. Let sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until blackened and charred. Stir and repeat until all kernels are charred.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add diced zucchini and red onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender and slightly browned.
- Add minced garlic to the vegetables in the last minute of cooking to prevent burning.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt to make the dressing.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, charred corn, zucchini, and onion.
- Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly until everything is coated.
- Add crumbled cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. Toss again to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime or salt if needed.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
For best results, use fresh corn and char it properly for smoky flavor. Rinse pasta with cold water to prevent mushiness. This salad tastes better the next day as flavors meld. Do not freeze, as dairy and veggies will separate. Can be made vegan by swapping dairy for plant-based alternatives.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 12
Keywords: pasta salad, elote salad, charred corn, zucchini, summer recipes, vegetarian, meal prep, bbq side dish, mexican pasta