Don’t you think all the new pasta varieties in the store are amazing? Even if you are not on a gluten free diet, they are fun to cook with. The quality has dramatically improved from a few years ago. When I saw this corn rotelli (wheat free and gluten free), I had to try it. And, it was very, very good. It was especially good with a Southwestern inspired sauce.
Gluten Free Pasta – Corn Rotelli
You’ll need to bear with me now because I don’t have a recipe as such. It was one of those “clean out the fridge” dinners. I had just returned from a week on the East coast and was craving something spicy, flavorful, and semi healthy.
Gluten Free Corn Rotelli with Southwestern Sauce
- 1 12-oz package of corn rotelli or pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil
- 1- 1/2 cups of mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 large red onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, (I used frozen roast corn from Trader Joe’s)
- 4 scallions, chopped
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided in half
- 1 cup of spicy lemon salsa verde (or avocado sauce)
- Salt to taste
- chopped cilantro to serve
- crushed tortilla chips and diced avocado (optional for serving)
sauteed cherry tomatoes
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil on high heat.
- While it is heating, add the olive or avocado oil to a large skillet and heat it on medium high.
- Add the chopped onion to the skillet and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and halved cherry tomatoes, turn the heat down to medium, and continue to saute until the tomatoes start to soften, maybe another 3 minutes.
- Add the drained black beans, scallions, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Turn the heat down to low.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as per the directions on the package.
- When cooked to your liking, drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse.
- Add the pasta to the vegetables in the skillet and cook all together. Add some pasta cooking water if it seems dry.
- Add the Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde (or avocado sauce) and toss together.
- Toss in 1/2 cup grated cheese and mix together
- Taste for salt
- Top with the additional 1/2 grated cheese and chopped cilantro.
- Garnish with optonal crushed tortilla chips and avocado.
Southwestern pasta sauce
Corn rotelli with southwestern sauce
Corn rotelli with a garnish of crushed tortilla chips
This dish was even more delicious reheated a day later, the flavors had time meld.
I’m taking this to share on Fiesta Friday #58 at Angie’s blog, The Novice Gardener. It’s a perfect Friday evening dinner…serve some guacomole to start and add a salad. It might be even more popular than pizza!
Fiesta Friday
You’re right! it is fun to try out new things and I love trying all the different shapes of Pasta (eventhough my husband is a firm fan of either Penne or Spaghetti!) I need to keep a look out for Corn Pasta and give it a go! 🙂
In Italy the shapes of the pasta are designed to complement the consistancy and type of sauce. It makes sense as the sauce will cling and be captured by the crevices. I think penne would be fine with this recipe. The corn pasta only came in one shape.
I agree, there are some great variations on basic pasta these days, and this looks like a great sauce to go with corn pasta. The spicy lemon salsa verde sounds delicious! Salsa verde of any kind is always a great addition to a meal and this one sounds yum. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday!
Thank you for visiting Caroline. I try to keep a jar of salsa verde in the fridge, ready to use as a marinade or to add extra flavor to roast or sauteed vegetables. it’s very useful.
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Oooh this looks delicious!
Thank you Michelle. The tortilla chips were a last minute inspiration and they added a lovely crunch.
Great review. I see these products and I always wonder if it is worth trying. This dish looks so good.
I know, me too. I think they have come a long way.
Our local market has fresh gluten free pasta. I tried a fresh gluten free cheese ravioli a few weeks ago…not so good. They fell apart in the cooking water. I have several friends who are gluten intolerant so I am always on the “look out” for fun products.
Just yesterday I made pasta with tomatoes, but without beans. Yours option looks yum! 🙂
The cherry tomatoes are the only ones worth using in the winter here, the rest are tasteless. They would be good tossed into pasta by themselves…a little parmesan and good olive oil. Yum!
That’s amazing when you can buy fresh tomatoes during the winter!:)
Awesome ! I also love Beans in my pasta.. brings out a very unique flavour to them. Thanks for sharing on FF 🙂
Thank you, I agree it’s not usual but delicious.
I like thinly sliced potatoes on my pizza as well.
Oh then we are same kinds… i love potato on my pizza ! i actually have a recipe called “Hash Brown Pizza”.. u can check that out 🙂
The sauteed tomatoes with the bacon look really good. I think you created a wonderful family pasta dish and I always love it when things come together that use up a lot of what we have on-hand xx
I didn’t add bacon to this one but think that would be a WONDERFUL addition! Yes, next time. And, I agree, I like it when I can put together odds and ends from the fridge with stuff from the pantry and make something delicious. It’s like painting a picture.
I have never seen corn pasta! How interesting. The pasta dish looks delicious, full of delicious colour and flavours! 🙂
It was one of those “last minute inspiration” meals…head in the fridge and the pantry.