A vibrant fusion of creamy pasta, sweet corn, tangy cotija cheese, lime, and spicy notes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
02 - Salt for boiling water
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3-4 ears fresh corn)
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
06 - 1/2 cup sour cream
07 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk
09 - 1 tsp chili powder
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
13 - 1 tsp lime zest
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Toppings
15 - 3/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
16 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Extra chili powder or Tajín for garnish
18 - Lime wedges for serving
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente per package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
02 - Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté 4-5 minutes until lightly charred. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
03 - Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, lime juice, and lime zest. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Transfer cooked pasta and corn mixture to sauce bowl. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired creamy consistency.
05 - Fold in half the cotija cheese and half the cilantro. Mix until evenly distributed.
06 - Plate the pasta warm. Top with remaining cotija, cilantro, additional chili powder or Tajín. Accompany with fresh lime wedges.
