Jalapeño Cilantro Pesto Rotini with Grape Tomatoes and Sweet Corn
Serve this summery pasta dish warm or chilled - it tastes great either way!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 452kcal
Ingredients
For the pesto:
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and quartered
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Salt to taste
For the pasta:
- 2 ears corn husked (be sure to remove all of the silk)
- 8 ounces rotini
- 1 batch Jalapeño Cilantro Pesto
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
Instructions
- Combine all of the pesto ingredients except salt in the smallest bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, then season to taste with salt. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook for 2 minutes. Use tongs to remove the corn from the pot and rinse it under cold water until it's cool enough to touch. Set aside.
- Cook the rotini to al dente in the pot of boiling water according to the package instructions.
- While the rotini is cooking, use a sharp chef's knife or corn zipper to remove the corn kernels from the cob.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the pasta, then drain the rotini and return it to the pot.
- Add the pesto to the rotini and stir to coat, adding cooking liquid a tablespoon at a time to thin out the pesto so it can be evenly distributed. Gently toss the pasta with the corn kernels and tomatoes. Season with additional salt, if needed.
Notes
To add more protein to this meal, swap in a bean-flour based rotini (like Banza), top the dish with crumbled queso fresco, or toss it with meatless chorizo.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of recipe | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.1g | Protein: 12.9g | Fat: 22.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Fiber: 6.3g | Sugar: 5.7g