Charred Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Pasta Salad
Try this Charred Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Charred Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- kosher salt + pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 pound your favorite short cut pasta
- 1 medium zucchini cut into 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 red bell pepper quartered
- 4 ears grilled or roasted corn kernels removed from the cob
- 1 (19 ounce) can red enchilada sauce (i use old el paso)
- 2 ounces goat cheese or cream cheese
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese cubed
- Carbohydrate 7.39410408317536 g
- Cholesterol 39.68933234 mg
- Fat 18.7622381631685 g
- Fiber 3.61282214984895 g
- Protein 11.1355750025844 g
- Saturated Fat 8.86854232751436 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (247g)
- Sodium 244.176106823711 mg
- Sugar 3.78128193332641 g
- Trans Fat 1.06625220601302 g
- Calories 235 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, toss together the zucchini, red peppers, olive oil, salt + pepper. Toss well to coat the veggies.
- Heat your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium high heat.
- Add the bell peppers and zucchini, grill 3-4 minutes per side or until char marks appear. This is also when I grill or roast my corn. Remove everything from the grill. Slice the bell pepper into slices.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to a large serving bowl. To the hot pasta, add the enchilada sauce and goat cheese, toss well until the goat cheese coats the pasta completely. Add the grilled veggies, corn, cilantro, basil tomatoes and green onions and toss to combine. Top the pasta with the avocado. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Starchy short-cut pasta absorbs hot liquid at a predictable rate of roughly one part dry pasta to two parts sauce by volume. Double this recipe safely by using an eight-quart stockpot to prevent the water temperature from dropping excessively during the boil. Salt the boiling water until it tastes noticeably brined, typically using one tablespoon of kosher salt per gallon. When scaling down to serve two people, halve the heavy cheddar and goat cheese amounts proportionally so the fat content does not overwhelm the starch. Goat cheese melts smoothly into hot pasta at 165 degrees Fahrenheit due to its high moisture content, while aged cheddar requires gentle residual heat to prevent the proteins from tightening into oil separation. Substitute the dairy entirely with a plant-based cream cheese alternative using a strict one-to-one volumetric ratio without altering the simmering red enchilada sauce base. Grill the zucchini rounds over medium-high heat for precisely three to four minutes per side to develop distinct carbon marks without turning the interior completely mushy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, keeping the diced avocado separate until the final plating stage to prevent premature enzymatic browning.
