Description
A refreshing and creamy pasta salad with corn, spices, and a tangy dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–7 oz pasta (I used rotini)
- 3 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (this was 1 medium-sized lime for me)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for spicy)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2–3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 12 oz corn kernels (this was about 1 1/2–2 cups, I used frozen grilled corn)
- 1/3 cup Cojita cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in accordance with the instructions on the package. Remove the pasta from the pot. Rinse it with cold water and drain well.
- Combine the sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), cream cheese, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, and spices in a large bowl or serving dish. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the pasta, corn, and Cojita cheese.
- Chill for 1 hour or serve immediately. It’s okay if it looks a little extra creamy when you first mix it. A lot of the dressing will penetrate into the pasta, so you’ll get amazing flavor, but you may lose some of the texture. If it looks a little dry after chilling, stir in a bit of sour cream, or even a splash of milk or lime juice to freshen it up. The pasta absorbs moisture as it sits, so refreshing it with extra dressing helps bring back that creamy texture.
Notes
- This pasta salad can be made ahead of time and is great for picnics or gatherings.
- The flavors intensify after chilling, making it even more delicious.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 30mg