Sweet and Spicy Corn Pasta Salad; Southwestern-themed side dish recipe from FOX 11 Living

jalapeño

🥗Healthier: bell pepper

💰Cheaper: banana pepper

Bell peppers provide sweetness without the heat.

honey

🥗Healthier: agave syrup

💰Cheaper: sugar

Agave syrup is a lower-calorie sweetener.

avocado

🥗Healthier: mashed peas

💰Cheaper: cucumber

Mashed peas maintain creaminess and are cheaper.

Grab 5 fresh ears of corn; feel for heaviness and firmness to ensure they are in season.

Place the corn into a bowl; if some corn husk gets in, it's fine to leave it.

Heat a large sauté pan until hot.

Chop half of the jalapeño with seeds and the other half without; add to the bowl of corn.

Sauté corn and jalapeño in the hot pan until it gets a little color and softens.

Chop garlic and prepare to add it to the corn mixture.

Sprinkle the corn with a little salt and pepper while cooking.

Add chopped garlic to the corn and jalapeño mixture; cook for a minute.

In a food processor or blender, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and 2 chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to make the sauce.

Juice 2 limes into the sauce mixture; add salt and pepper, then blend until smooth.

Let the corn mixture cool to room temperature before adding to the pasta.

Add 2 cups of cooled ditalini pasta to a large bowl.

Add the corn mixture to the pasta.

Sprinkle in cotija cheese and chopped green onion.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well; sprinkle cilantro on top.

Let the pasta salad sit for about an hour before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: