Mexican street corn, a.k.a. Elote or Elote Loco, turns into a light and fresh pasta salad with fresh herbs, roasted (or grilled) vegetables and corn off the cob. A bit of sour cream, feta, lime and a good amount of elote seasoning give the dish its signature flavor. Great hot or cold.
Cook pasta: 10 mins
prep: 20 mins
cook:20-30 mins
total: 50-60 mins
Elote (a.k.a. Mexican street corn), whether eaten in the street (so authentic!) or at a restaurant, is a very messy affair, but it is delicious. Simply put, there is something about the mix of the creamy and salty cheese, the smoky elote seasoning, the sweet corn and the tang of lime squeezed fresh over the whole thing, that is utterly delicious. The abundance of fresh corn at local farm stands has inspired this dish. You can certainly use frozen corn or fresh found at the grocery store off season- it’s in season somewhere! I wanted to turn it into a meal and take the corn off the cob for a more civilized eating experience. It’s cooked fast and hot, and like true Mexican street corn, it’s utterly delicious, whether eaten hot, or as a pasta salad after chilling.
Elote and Esquites
Mexican street corn is also known as “Elote”, which literally means “corn cob” in Spanish. It’s a traditional street food served widely in Mexico, but originating in Oaxaca, Mexico. Also served off the cob, in a cup it is then called Esquites.
Why this recipe works
- Authentic flavors and accessible ingredients- I’ve followed the traditional recipe with the flavors and ingredients as mentioned above, but kept it accessible by using simple spices and typical dairy/cheese, versus the specialty Mexican crema and cotija cheese traditionally used.
- Charred corn- the corn is cut off the cob, then roasted at a high temperature and finished with a broil, to get caramelized and charred kernels just like traditional Mexican street corn on the cob has from being cooked on a grill. You have the option of roasting the corn intensely on it’s own first, or just roasting all the veggies together for the easiest and fasted prep.
- Additional ingredients- the street corn flavors of the cheese, spices, lime and charred corn are enhanced with the addition of more vegetables and fresh herbs. It’s extremely satisfying and flavorful
Ingredient notes
- Corn- freshly shucked corn is the star of this recipe, whether purchased in season, or off season, shipped in from distant lands. Alternatively, defrosted frozen kernels can be used. They contain more water, and may take another 5-10 min to cook, using either method.
- Slicing zucchini/summer squash- you can slice lengthwise or across, for circle slices. Mandolin sliced squash or thinly sliced with a knife, is the goal, so the squash cooks quickly, along with the corn and spinach.
- Cheese- authentic elote street corn is smeared with crema or mayonnaise and sprinkled with cotija cheese (a white, crumbly Mexican cheese). This recipe uses light sour cream and feta for a very similar flavor without as much fat or richness.
- Pasta- short cut, ridged pasta grabs the cheesy goodness well but any smaller pasta shape works. I used a short cut of rigati (ridged), similar to paccheri, tubetti or gomiti (short versions of rigatoni).
- Fresh herbs- I’m inspired every day to use fresh herbs when they grow in my garden, and carry this obsession throughout the year, buying herbs at the store. Cilantro would be the most authentic, but I’m adding in several herbs to round out and add more flavor! Any combo tastes great!
Above: Fresh Dill flowers, parsley, savory and chives are just one mix of fresh herbs that can be used. Anything you like the flavor of can be used.
Step by step instructions
First you preheat your oven, get pasta water boiling and bring out the cheeses to come to room temperature so that once the vegetables are roasted you can toss all the ingredients together for a warm dish. Otherwise, you can chill the dish and serve as a salad, or serve as a room temperature salad, without concern for the elements of the dish being piping hot. Any option tastes delicious and I’ve eaten it in all manner of ways.
Corn prep option #1
This option takes 20-25 minutes to cook. The corn is spiced and cooked alone first to achieve more heavily charred corn. It just takes a little more attention to char that corn versus option #2.
After cutting the corn from the cobs, you mix some oil and spices with the corn (ignore that I used a sieve to mix mine 😂), and place it in the preheated pan to char (I show it in a cast iron skillet here, but a foil lined sheet pan preheated works as well.
Once the corn is charred, the rest of the vegetables are added to the pan. They are tossed with the corn, but it’s not important for the already charred corn to be exposed, but rather the other vegetables are mostly on top to cook.
Corn prep option #2
This option takes 15-20 minutes to cook. All the vegetables are tossed together, spiced, and cooked together. The corn will not be quite as charred but tastes just as wonderful.
Here you can see all the vegetables tossed, the spices mixed to be added, and then the vegetables all ready for the oven, with oil and spices.
You have an option to use my recipe for homemade chili powder or homemade harissa powder, but it is very optional. Store bought chili powder and smoked paprika work perfectly as well.
Once the veggies are cooked, either way, you simply will toss them with the cooked pasta, sour cream and feta. Once served squeeze fresh lime over the dish, and garnish with more cheese and fresh herbs. See option below under tips, for cooking veggies on grill if you prefer.
Tips for making and serving this recipe
- Options for cooking vegetables- it’s simple. You can char the corn on its own first, and then add the vegetables to finish cooking or you can roast them altogether. The corn is less likely to fully char with the latter, but in reality both methods yield a great tasting dish with the full Mexican street corn vibes and flavor. Pre-charring the corn only takes an additional five minutes.
- Outdoor cooking- the veggies also cook wonderfully on an outdoor grill. Place them on a double layer of foil, with the corn on the bottom, and close up the foil around the veggies. Cook on a covered grill, on high for about 10 minutes, at which point you should keep the grill top open, open up the foil pouch of veggies and use tongs to toss the veggies until they are cooked. You don’t want mushy vegetables. They should be cooked just enough to be tender and charred which is why cooking HOT and FAST is the mantra.
- Hot or cold- this recipe makes a delicious warm pasta dish, any time of the year. A lot of people like a street corn salad as well, and this recipe hits that mark well, if chilled. I personally, don’t worry too much how hot all the components are when the dish is finished, as it is great at room temperature. Delicate herb flavors, briny cheese flavors, spice, smoke, and the sweetness of the vegetables come through the most when eaten room temp or warm, and most of those flavor notes come through as well if served as a chilled pasta salad. You can’t lose.
- Cheese- the use of light sour cream and feta gives the dish a light flavor (not too fatty or rich tasting but still creamy and salty enough). I’ve incorporated an option to add some grated Mexican cheese that is part skim and on the drier side, similar to part skim mozzarella, but I forgot to take note of the name (there are quite a few). Stay tuned for an update to the post with that info. The third cheese is optional.
- Finishing and garnishing- squeezing fresh lime over the top of the finished/served dish is essential for the full street corn experience and I highly recommend garnishing with more cheese, a dollop of sour cream and even snippets of the fresh herbs for over the top goodness and impressiveness.
FAQs
Elote means “corn on the cob” in Spanish and is a term used to describe a style of street corn served in Mexico where fresh corn on the cob is grilled by a street vendor and then served with spices, smeared with cream or mayonnaise, salty crumbled cheese and lime. It is messy to eat with all those toppings, but is delicious nonetheless.
also known as “elote en vaso” in Spanish, or “corn in a glass” in English, it is a Mexican street snack of corn served off the cob in a dish with the same toppings as street corn on the cob (a.k.a. elote), such as chili powder, mayonnaise or crema, cotija cheese which is a crumbly white cheese, and lime.
You absolutely can make this dish at home using this recipe or one similar. The corn can taste like street corn that has been grilled by roasting it in the oven. All the same toppings can be mixed with the corn for a salad, side dish, or even a pasta dish as in this recipe.
No, it is not hard at all to make elote or street corn at home by roasting it in the oven and cutting it off the cob. You can also roast corn on the cob on your grill at home, then smear it with the ingredients as listed in this recipe for corn on the cob elote, just like they serve in Mexico.
Related recipes
I am still working on more Mexican themed recipes, but if you like simple pasta recipes like this one, with lots of flavor, try my Tuna with Zesty Artichoke and Goat Cheese Pasta Sauce. It is so easy, and like this recipe, can be eaten hot or chilled, because it is delicious both ways!
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Elote Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 6 oz dry pasta (short cut)
- 2 ears of fresh corn (sub 2 cups thawed frozen corn (not canned))
- 2 cups fresh spinach (sub other fresh green)
- 1 zucchini
- 1 summer squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil (will use amount you prefer)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 cup fresh herbs (your choice: chives, marjoram, cilantro, parsley, dill)
- 2 tsp chili powder see notes (or can use my chili blend)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (if you like more heat)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika see notes (or can use my harissa blend)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 oz feta cheese (sub cotija cheese)
- 1/4 cup light sour cream (sub regular)
- 2 limes (to squeeze over finished dish)
- 1/4 cup grated Oaxaca cheese (optional- sub other part skim Mexican style cheese or part skim mozz- see notes)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 450 and place one rack in upper quarter of oven but not on very top rungs. Place foil lined sheet pan or cast iron skillet in oven to heat up while oven preheats. Either type of pan can be used for either cooking method shown below. Cast iron will always char the corn more easily.
- Bring the sour cream, feta and optional Mexican cheeses to room temperature (crumble the feta and grate the optional Mexican cheese) if you want to serve this hot/warm.
- Bring salted pasta water to boil. Boil pasta till al dente when water comes to boil. Drain and leave aside. the closer to the end of your recipe prep you do this, the hotter the pasta will be after you toss it with warm veggies and room temperature cheese.
- Prep veggies while the above happens.
Prep option #1 (more heavily charred corn) 20-25 min cook time
- Shuck fresh corn and cut kernels off the cob. Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp ea of smoked paprika and chili powder, and a pinch of the salt. Toss to coat, with a tsp or so of the olive oil.
- Once oven is preheated, pour seasoned fresh corn kernels into the hot pan, use oven mitt to be sure kernels are distributed well and close oven to roast for about 10 minutes. Switch oven to broil and broil for about 5 min for charred corn- see photo in post for ref.
- Slice the zucchini and summer squash into thin slices, whatever shape you prefer (lengthwise or in circles) (see notes for extra option to include kohlrabi). I use a mandolin for very thin slices. Keeping the slices thin allows them to cook quickly, so take your time to achieve this.
- While the corn is roasting, mix the spinach, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, chopped fresh herbs (reserve a few for garnish) rest of spices, salt, and oil (and opt. kohlrabi) all in a bowl.
- Keeping the oven on broil, once corn is sufficiently charred, add tossed seasoned veggies on top of corn and broil for about 5-10 minutes, using tongs to toss vegetables a couple times, but ok if corn remains mostly on the bottom as it has cooked. You will achieve wilted and delicious veggies, but they will not be charred (there's just too much water in them to do that, and not burn the spinach).
Prep option #2 (corn less charred) 15-20 min cook time
- Shuck corn, cut kernels from cob. Slice vegetables as noted above.
- Mix the corn, spinach, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, chopped fresh herbs (reserve a few for garnish), spices, salt, and oil (and opt. kohlrabi) all in a bowl.
- Place the vegetable mix on a foil lined sheet pan or cast iron, your choice, and place in top quarter of oven that has been preheated to 450. Roast for 10 minutes, tossing once halfway- see notes.
- Turn oven to broil and broil for about 5 minutes, tossing once halfway. As shown in the finished dish, the vegetables will be nicely wilted with a bit of broil char marks here and there, but overall, the vegetables are still quite fresh and not overcooked.
Finish and serve
- With all components ready, toss cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, sour cream, feta and optional grated cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne and salt to taste. Garnish servings with more cheese, fresh herbs, smoked paprika, and fresh squeezed lime juice for the perfect Mexican street corn look.
