Ingredients
Scale
- 6 ounces small whole-wheat pasta such as reginetti or elbows (about 2½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 to 5 ears) or thawed frozen corn kernels
- 4 tablespoons crema Mexicana or sour cream
- 4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon grated lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 small clove garlic, grated
- 4 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet to cool.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook undisturbed until blistered, about 2 minutes. Stir and spread into an even layer. Cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until charred in many spots, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet with the pasta and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, salt, garlic, 2 tablespoons cotija, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika until well combined.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the crema mixture in a small bowl. Add the pasta and corn mixture to the remaining crema mixture and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Drizzle with the reserved crema mixture. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons cotija, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika.
Notes
- Use fresh corn for the best char and flavor. Frozen corn works but may not blister as well.
- Spread the pasta and corn on a baking sheet to cool faster and avoid clumping.
- You can make the dressing up to one day ahead and store it in the fridge.
- Serve this salad at room temperature or chilled. Both work well.
- If you cannot find cotija, feta cheese is a good substitute.
- Add a pinch of cayenne to the dressing if you want a bit of heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 25mg