Mexican Street Corn Pasta (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta with sweet corn, cotija cheese, lime zest, and a hint of chili in a luscious sauce.

# What You'll 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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain and set aside.
02 - Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly charred and golden. Stir in garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 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 to taste.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn mixture to the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
05 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, fresh cilantro leaves, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer in a bowl, with that perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and subtly spicy that makes you want seconds.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table without a lengthy production.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and impressive enough to serve when friends come over, but casual enough for a Tuesday night dinner alone.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step with the corn because that caramelization is what separates this from ordinary creamed corn pasta.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because it's the difference between a sauce that flows and one that clumps.
  • Cotija cheese is worth seeking out because feta is close but not quite the same, and it's what makes this taste authentic rather than just creamy and cheesy.
03 -
  • Let your sour cream and mayo come to room temperature before whisking so they combine smoothly without lumps or separation.
  • Don't be afraid of the heat when browning the corn because that's where the flavor complexity comes from, and a little char on the kernels is exactly what you want.
Return