Mexican street corn pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta with sweet corn, cotija cheese, lime zest, and chili for a flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Corn Mixture

03 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
04 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin

→ Creamy Sauce

09 - 1/2 cup sour cream
10 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
11 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
12 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ To Finish

15 - Additional cotija cheese, for garnish
16 - Extra chili powder or Tajín, for garnish
17 - Fresh cilantro leaves
18 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain and set pasta aside.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until lightly charred and golden. Stir in garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin; cook 1 minute until aromatic. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn mixture to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to loosen sauce as needed.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges on the side.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like street food but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The lime and cotija cheese hit differently when they're stirred into warm, buttery pasta.
  • You can make it with frozen corn and still feel like you nailed it.
02 -
  • Don't skip charring the corn. That caramelized edge is what separates this from plain creamed corn pasta.
  • Pasta water is your friend. Start with less sauce than feels right, then use that starchy water to loosen it. It'll cling to the pasta better than cream alone.
  • Taste as you go. Cotija and lime are strong, so season last and adjust both salt and citrus to your preference.
03 -
  • If cotija crumbles are hard to find, order them online or check a Mexican grocery store. It's worth the effort because feta and other cheeses don't give you that same salty punch.
  • Toast your spices in the hot butter before adding garlic. This tiny step unlocks so much more flavor than just stirring them in.
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