Creamy pasta with charred corn, cotija cheese, lime, and spices for a zesty Mexican-inspired dish.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
02 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (approximately 3–4 ears fresh corn)
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
06 - ½ cup sour cream
07 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
08 - ¼ cup whole milk
09 - 1 tsp chili powder
10 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
11 - ½ tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
13 - 1 tsp lime zest
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
15 - ¾ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Extra chili powder or Tajín, for garnish
18 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
02 - Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly charred. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, whole milk, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. Season with salt and black pepper.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn mixture to the sauce. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water incrementally to achieve a creamy consistency.
05 - Fold in half of the crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro into the pasta mixture.
06 - Serve warm garnished with remaining cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges on the side.
