Lime Cilantro Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the salad base
01 -
16 ounces of bow tie pasta, cooked and chilled (or any pasta you like)
02 -
1-2 diced ripe avocados
03 -
1 and 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
04 -
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
05 -
Chopped Cotija cheese for garnish (if you’d like)
06 -
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro
07 -
Half of a small red onion, diced or sliced thin
→ For the dressing
08 -
1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
09 -
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened
10 -
A couple of garlic cloves
11 -
A pinch of cayenne pepper (1/8 teaspoon)
12 -
1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
13 -
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (stems and leaves work)
# Instructions:
01 -
Pop everything for the dressing—Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, salt, garlic, and cayenne—into a blender or food processor. Blend until silky smooth. Cover it up and chill in the fridge until you're ready. The flavors deepen as it sits.
02 -
In a big bowl, gently toss together the cooled pasta, corn, cherry tomato halves, onion slices, and cilantro. Drizzle as much or as little of the dressing as you'd like and mix till everything's evenly coated.
03 -
Right before serving, sprinkle on Cotija cheese if you're using it and add fresh avocado chunks. Toss the avocado in last, so it doesn't start turning brown too early.
# Notes:
01 -
If the dressing seems too tangy, begin with about 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice and half the salt, then tweak based on flavor. A little honey or maple syrup can mellow out the acidity too.
02 -
Feel free to change the amounts of each ingredient—use this as a starting point, not a rulebook!
03 -
When storing leftovers, it's handy to whip up some extra dressing to freshen up the salad. The pasta soaks up the flavors after sitting.
04 -
For the corn, boiling it for about 1 and a half to 2 minutes keeps it sweet and crunchy.