Elote Pasta Salad with Black Beans and Cotija

Serves 6 · 20 min prep · 15 min cook

Ingredients

• 12 oz short pasta (rotini or cavatappi)
• 3 cups frozen fire-roasted corn
• 1 (15 oz) can canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
• to taste hot sauce

Instructions

1. 1Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just al dente, about 8–10 minutes, then drain and rinse briefly under cool water to stop the cooking.
2. 2While the pasta cooks, heat a large dry skillet over medium-high. Add the frozen fire-roasted corn and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are hot and some edges are charred.
3. 3Dice the red bell pepper and jalapeño (remove seeds for milder heat) and finely dice the red onion. Chop the cilantro.
4. 4In a large mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt until smooth and creamy.
5. 5Add the drained pasta, charred corn, black beans, bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, and most of the cilantro to the bowl. Toss thoroughly until every piece is coated in the creamy dressing.
6. 6Fold in crumbled cotija, reserving the rest for topping. Taste and add more salt, lime, or a few dashes of hot sauce if you want extra kick.
7. 7Cover and chill at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight) so the flavors marry; the pasta will absorb some dressing and taste even better.
8. 8Just before serving, give the salad a final toss, top with remaining cotija and cilantro, and portion into bowls or meal-prep containers.