Save to Pinterest I threw this together on a Tuesday night when my pantry was half-empty and my energy was running on fumes. The bag of fusilli had been sitting there for weeks, and I remembered a street vendor in Austin who used to char corn in a skillet with lime and crumbled cheese. I figured, why not dump it all in one pot and see what happens? The kitchen filled with smoky, tangy heat, and I stood there stirring, half-distracted, until I tasted it and realized I'd stumbled onto something I'd actually want to make again.
The first time I made this for friends, I doubled the batch and set the pot right on the table. We passed lime wedges around like chips and salsa, everyone squeezing more over their bowls and fighting over the last bits of cotija. One friend scraped the bottom with a wooden spoon and declared it better than anything we'd gotten at the food truck down the street. I didn't argue.
Ingredients
- Fusilli pasta: The spirals grab onto the creamy sauce and little corn kernels, so every bite is loaded with flavor instead of slipping off a smooth noodle.
- Sweet corn kernels: Frozen works perfectly and saves you from shucking, but if you have fresh corn in the summer, char it in a dry skillet first for extra smokiness.
- Red bell pepper: It adds a pop of color and a subtle sweetness that balances the tang of lime and the heat from jalapeño.
- Green onions: They cook down into the sauce and give a mild, grassy bite that doesn't overpower the other flavors.
- Garlic: Two cloves are enough to perfume the pot without making it taste like garlic bread, just a warm background note.
- Jalapeño: Seed it if you're nervous about heat, or leave a few seeds in if you like a little tingle on your tongue.
- Sour cream: This is what makes the sauce creamy and tangy, the base that holds everything together without feeling heavy.
- Whole milk: It loosens the sour cream into a silky sauce, you can use whatever milk you have, but whole makes it richer.
- Cotija cheese: Salty, crumbly, and absolutely essential, it melts just enough to thicken the sauce and tastes like the soul of street corn.
- Unsalted butter: A small amount goes a long way, adding richness and helping the spices bloom in the pot.
- Smoked paprika: This is the secret to that campfire, off-the-grill flavor even though everything cooks on the stove.
- Chili powder: It brings a warm, earthy heat that layers with the paprika and lime.
- Lime zest and juice: The zest is where the bright, floral punch lives, and the juice cuts through the cream like a knife.
- Cilantro: Some people love it, some people hate it, but if you're in the first camp, it makes the whole dish taste fresher and more alive.
Instructions
- Boil the pasta:
- Dump the fusilli, water, and salt into your pot and crank the heat. Stir it once in a while so it doesn't clump, and let it cook until it's just shy of tender and most of the water has disappeared into the noodles.
- Add the vegetables:
- Toss in the corn, bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and jalapeño, then stir everything around for a few minutes. The garlic will start to smell toasty, and the corn will soften and soak up the leftover starchy water.
- Stir in the creamy base:
- Lower the heat a bit and add the sour cream, milk, butter, smoked paprika, chili powder, black pepper, lime zest, and lime juice. Mix it all together until the sauce is smooth and clinging to every spiral of pasta.
- Fold in the cheese:
- Sprinkle in the cotija and stir gently, letting it melt just enough to thicken the sauce. Taste it now and add a pinch of salt if it needs it, the cheese is salty, so go easy at first.
- Finish and serve:
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute so the sauce settles. Pile it into bowls, then scatter cilantro, extra cotija, and lime wedges on top so everyone can squeeze and sprinkle to their heart's content.
Save to Pinterest One night I made this after a long shift and ate it straight from the pot, standing at the counter with the windows open and the city noise drifting in. The lime and smoke and salt tasted like a reward I didn't know I needed. It's become the thing I make when I want comfort without the fuss, when I want to feel like I've actually cooked something real without spending an hour in the kitchen.
How to Make It Your Own
I've swapped the fusilli for penne when that's what I had, and it worked just fine. If you want more protein, stir in black beans or shredded rotisserie chicken at the end, or even crumbled chorizo if you're feeling bold. You can also char the corn in a dry skillet before adding it to the pot, it takes an extra five minutes but the smoky flavor doubles down. If you don't have cotija, feta or queso fresco will do in a pinch, just know the flavor will shift a little toward tangy and creamy instead of salty and crumbly.
What to Serve Alongside
This is rich enough to stand alone, but I like it with a simple side salad dressed in lime and olive oil, something crisp to cut through the cream. Tortilla chips and salsa on the side turn it into a full spread, and a cold beer or a glass of Sauvignon Blanc makes it feel like a proper dinner instead of just something you threw together. If you have leftover cilantro, chop it into the salad or scatter it over everything, the more green the better.
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days, and they reheat beautifully on the stove with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life. I've eaten this cold straight from the container for lunch, and honestly, it's not bad that way either, the flavors meld overnight and the lime gets even brighter. If you're meal-prepping, divide it into containers and top with cilantro and cheese right before you eat, so it stays fresh and doesn't wilt into the sauce.
- Reheat gently on the stove, not the microwave, to keep the sauce from breaking.
- Add a squeeze of lime before serving leftovers to wake up the flavors.
- Don't freeze this, the dairy will separate and turn grainy when you thaw it.
Save to Pinterest This dish taught me that one pot and a handful of good ingredients can feel like a small victory at the end of a long day. I hope it does the same for you.
Recipe FAQs
- → Can I use fresh corn instead of frozen?
Yes, fresh corn kernels work perfectly and add a natural sweetness to the dish.
- → What can I substitute for cotija cheese?
Feta cheese or a mild crumbly cheese can be used as alternatives with similar texture and tang.
- → How spicy is this dish with jalapeño?
The jalapeño adds a mild to moderate heat that complements the creamy sauce without overpowering it.
- → Is this pasta suitable for weeknight dinners?
Absolutely, it cooks quickly in one pot, making cleanup easy and dinner fast to serve.
- → Can this dish be made vegan?
Yes, by substituting dairy with plant-based milk, vegan sour cream, and dairy-free cheese alternatives.