Esquites Pasta Salad
If you’re a fan of Mexican food then you’ve probably come across elote or esquites – Mexican street corn. Back in Arizona you can usually drive five minutes and find a stand on the side of the road where someone sells it, and within the same distance you’ll find several restaurants or delis that do too. While it’s common in that part of the US, Mexican street corn is hard to find in England. This pasta salad takes British accessible ingredients to bring the flavours of traditional esquites to the perfect side for your summer barbecue. This dish has some heat, but you can easily reduce the heat to your taste and still be able to appreciate the flavors. This will go perfectly with grilled chicken, but I’ve also eaten it as a small lunch on its own or with a side salad.
Ingredients
- 500 g pasta of your choice (I used cavatappi but fusilli would be great too)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 ears of grilled corn, kernels removed after grilling (you can do this in the oven or in a pan if you don’t have a grill to use!)
- juice and zest from 3 limes
- salt and pepper
- 14 g coriander
- 100 g cup sour cream or vegan alternative
- 200 g mayonnaise (I use vegan)
- 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder (opt for mild chilli powder if you don’t like heat!)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- feta for serving (or vegan alternative)
Instructions
- Cook your pasta to pack instructions and toss in the olive oil. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk together the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise chilli powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss the cooled pasta and corn in a bowl with the dressing. Garnish with the lime zest, crumbled feta, and coriander.