Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Produce 3 tbsp Cilantro + more 2 (15 oz.) cans Corn 1/2 tsp Garlic powder 2 Limes, zest and juice of
Condiments 2/3 cup Mayonnaise
Pasta & Grains 16 oz Rotini pasta
Baking & Spices 2 pinches Cayenne pepper 1 tsp Chili powder 1 Kosher salt 1 Pepper, fresh cracked
Oils & Vinegars 1 Olive oil
Dairy 1/2 cup Cotija or queso fresco cheese 1 cup Sour cream
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Directions: |
Directions:Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool to room temperature. Or pop in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
In a medium bowl combine sour cream, mayo, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
Add pasta, corn, cotija, and cilantro to a large bowl.
Pour most of the dressing over the pasta and toss until everything is well coated.
Transfer to serving platter, drizzle with remaining dressing and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Make sure you moderately salt the pasta water!
Cook the pasta just until al dente. Nothing ruins a pasta salad quicker than mushy, overcooked pasta. I like to cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the lowest recommended cooking time on the package directions. So if the package recommends 9-11 minutes, I start (carefully) tasting the pasta after 8 minutes and pull it off the heat and strain it as soon as it’s al dente.
If sweet corn is in season where you are, you can definitely use corn on the cob instead of canned corn! I’d recommend using about 2 cups total of freshly cut corn. There’s no need to cook the corn before adding it to the pasta salad. Freshly cut, uncooked corn from the cob is one of life’s greatest pleasures. OR if you have leftover grilled corn on the cob – cut it from the cob and use that!
The dressing in this pasta salad will thicken as it sits. I would recommend dressing it just before serving, or if you’ll be enjoying this pasta salad a few hours after you make it, feel free to add a splash of lime juice or even milk to loosen things up.
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