Creamy pasta with charred corn, cotija cheese, lime, and spices. Bold flavors in every bite.
# 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
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
# Preparation steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
02 - Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté for 4–5 minutes until lightly charred. Add minced garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
03 - Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, lime juice, and lime zest in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Add cooked pasta and sautéed corn to the sauce bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve creamy consistency.
05 - Fold in half of the cotija cheese and half of the chopped cilantro until evenly distributed.
06 - Divide among plates and top with remaining cotija cheese, cilantro, additional chili powder or Tajín, and lime wedges.
