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Elote Pasta Carbonara

Elote pasta carbonara is a Mexican-Italian fusion dinner with silky cream-coated spaghetti, charred corn, and crispy bacon. It’s finished with Cotija, Parmesan, tajín, and a bright lime-cilantro kick for a rich, peppery, fork-twirl texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican-Italian Fusion
Calories: 930
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb spaghetti
Meat and corn
  • 6 bacon chopped
  • 4 ears fresh corn kernels removed (about 2 cups)
Creamy carbonara base
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup grated Cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp tajín seasoning
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook spaghetti and prep carbonara mix
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook spaghetti until al dente (about 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with Cotija cheese, Parmesan cheese, tajín, and chopped cilantro until smooth and thick.
Cook bacon and char the corn
  1. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until crispy (about 6–8 minutes), then remove it and set aside.
  2. Add corn kernels to the bacon fat and cook until charred, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes over medium-high heat.
Combine and finish
  1. Add hot pasta to the corn mixture off the heat and toss to coat evenly.
  2. Quickly stir in the egg mixture, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce turns creamy and clings to the noodles.
  3. Stir in the crispy bacon, then season with lime juice, salt, and black pepper; serve immediately.

Notes

Key pro tip: keep the pan off the heat when you add the egg mixture, and add pasta water gradually to prevent scrambling while building a glossy carbonara-style sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently and add a splash of pasta water if needed (freezing not recommended). For a lighter option, use turkey bacon and swap half the cheeses for a lower-fat version to cut calories while keeping the elote-tajín flavor.