mexican street corn (elote) pasta salad

this summer side dish, adapted from a recipe from delish, is the perfect addition to any meal! I served mine with some crispy Coho salmon and it was amazing.

what you need for 4 servings:

• 1/2 lb. penne

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 cup fresh corn, cut off the cob

• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream, I used blended cottage cheese for a little more protein!

• Juice of 1 lime 

• 1 tsp. chili seasoning mix

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper 

• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or feta

• 1 handful finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 seeded and diced jalapeno (if you want to add some heat!)

• 2 thinly sliced green onions

instructions:

• in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to package directions, then drain. 

• meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. 

• in a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, and chili seasoning until well combined. season with salt and pepper as desired.

• in a large bowl, toss pasta, corn, cotija, onions, jalapeno, and cilantro. add dressing and toss to coat! refrigerate until ready to serve.