Pan-roasted corn is the star of this zesty pasta salad that’s perfect for picnics, cookouts or anytime you need a side that doubles as a vegetarian main. We took inspiration from the Mexican street-food favorite esquites: roasted corn kernels dressed with mayonnaise and sprinkled with Cotija cheese and lime juice. We added sour cream to make a creamy dressing for our salad and opted for twirly cavatappi pasta to make the whole dish come together perfectly on your fork. The recipe calls for a generous amount of minced jalapeño; leave the seeds in for a refreshing amount of heat, or scrape them out for milder dish with just a hint of spice.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- Kosher salt
- Kernels from 8 ears sweet corn (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup Mexican mayonnaise, such as McCormick Mayonesa or Goya Mayonnaise with Lime Juice
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup minced jalapeño (see Cook’s Note), from about 1 large jalapeño
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatappi and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain and set the pasta aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the corn kernels in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the kernels are evenly blistered and browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt to taste and set aside to cool.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and salt to taste together in a medium bowl until smooth. If the dressing is too thick add more pasta water.
- Combine the pasta, roasted corn, onion and jalapeño in a large bowl. Top with the dressing and 3/4 cup of the Cotija. Fold together with a rubber spatula until the pasta is coated in the dressing. Serve garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup Cotija and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 394 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 384 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 394 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 35 mg |
| Sodium | 384 mg |