Elote is one of our favorite Mexican dishes, so of course we had to combine it with our favorite cooking method: one pot pasta. This easy pasta recipe is sure to zest up your life the second you take your first bite! If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know that we absolutely adore one pot pasta – it’s honestly one of the best cooking methods out there.

And this dish will have you dancing in your kitchen, feeling like you’re on a street in summer indulging in some delicious, spicy elote!

one pot elote pasta being stirred with a spoon

What is elote

Elote is Mexican street corn. The name comes from the Nahuatl word “elotitutl,” meaning “tender cob.” Elote is a variation of corn on the cob in which the corn is slathered in a spicy mayo mixture, then rolled in herbs and cotija cheese. Typically you squeeze some lime juice on top, too! It’s super popular in Mexico during festivals or as street food.

It’s messy to eat, but the taste can’t be beat. So that’s why we’re tweaking it today and incorporating those fresh, bold flavors into this one pot pasta recipe. If you like your food with a bit of a kick, then you’re in luck with this one!

pasta topped with corn, fresh herbs, sour cream, and green onions

What is one pot pasta

If you’ve never tried one pot pasta before — get ready for your life to change! We’ve been sharing these recipes for a while and they’ve changed the game both in our houses and in the homes of our readers. If you love this one and want to try out a few more, we rounded up some of our favorites here.

One pot pasta involves using just one dish – either a deep dish stock pot or a dutch oven – and cooking all your ingredients together with the pasta. This way, the pasta absorbs all those delicious flavors, and you get taste that bursts across your tongue and will leave you craving seconds!

What are the benefits of one pot pasta

Okay, we’ll get it out of the way first: one benefit to one pot pasta is that there’s so much less clean-up involved. Instead of having a ton of dishes clogging up stovetop space and then shifting over to your sink or dishwasher, you just have to deal with one dish!

But it goes deeper than that. We can’t wax poetic enough about the taste benefits to this dish! It’s honestly mind-blowing just how rich and decadent the flavor is — not just of the sauce, but of the noodles themselves! Typically you just cook pasta noodles in heavily salted water, but we cook it in broth alongside all of the other ingredients. This means the noodles rehydrate within all of that flavor!

How to make one pot elote pasta

Add olive oil to a deep pot and turn on the heat to medium high. Toss in garlic, shallot, and jalapeño, stir for 1-2 minutes or until shallots have softened and translucent.
Pour in pasta, water, lime zest, salt, pepper and Everything But The Elote seasoning.
Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 9-11 minutes, or until the pasta is perfectly al-dente.
Stir in sweet corn, cilantro, lime juice, heavy cream, sour cream, and green onion. It will be nice and creamy!
Garnish with cotija cheese, and enjoy!

a bowl of elote pasta topped with green onions

Can I make one pot elote pasta that isn’t spicy?

Listen, we get it: not everyone has a taste for food that makes you feel like your mouth is on sparkling fire. So if you prefer your pasta less feisty, there’s a way to do that. Simply skip the jalapeños.

Keep in mind, though, that Everything But The Elote seasoning has chili peppers in it, so there’s a bit of a kick inherent to the dish.

More recipes to try

Chipotle Chicken with Elote Corn Salad

Air Fryer Taquitos

One Pot Mexican Quinoa

Double Decker Mexican Pizza

Baked Taco Pasta