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Mexican-Inspired Poblano & Corn Baked Pasta

Roasted poblanos, sweet corn, and a melty cheese blend

Editorial demo · awaiting kitchen verification

A meatless baked ziti inspired by rajas con crema — roasted poblano strips, sweet corn, lime, and cilantro folded into a creamy, melty pasta bake.

Editorial demo. This recipe documents a standard method but has not yet been cooked and tasted by our kitchen. It is not presented as tested, carries no ratings, and is excluded from search indexing until a real test round is logged. See our testing policy.
Mexican-inspired baked pasta with roasted poblano strips, sweet corn, cilantro and lime in a creamy sauce
Illustrative photography of baked pasta — original photography pending

How it layers, top to bottom

Photography to come

  1. Browned mozzarellaUncovered, until it blisters
  2. Ziti + sauceUndercooked by two minutes
  3. Ricotta, egg, ParmigianoSet, so it slices clean
  4. Ziti + sauceGenerous — it drinks liquid
  5. Sauce, on the baseSo nothing catches

Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the centre reaches 165°F (74°C).

Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Total
80 min
Yield
One 9×13-inch pan
Jump to recipe

This is an inspired adaptation, not a traditional Mexican dish. It draws on the flavors of rajas con crema (roasted poblano strips with cream and corn) and reworks them into an Italian-American-style baked pasta. How this differs: rajas con crema is a stovetop side or taco filling, not a baked pasta, and traditional Mexican cooking would not layer it with mozzarella; we borrow the poblano-corn-crema profile and adapt it into a ziti bake, using a melting cheese in place of Oaxaca where needed.

Ingredients

Ingredients now scaled for 10 servings.

Poblano & corn
Creamy base & pasta
Cheese

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Skillet
  • Large pot

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat oven to 375°F (190°C) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  2. 2

    Soften the onion and garlic in a little oil, add the poblano strips and corn, and cook until the corn is tender and lightly caramelized. Stir in cumin, lime, and cilantro.

    ⏲ Cook poblano & corn: ~10 min

    Look for: Corn is tender with a few browned kernels and the mixture smells toasty.

  3. 3

    Whisk the crema and milk together and season with salt.

    Look for: Pourable but creamy.

  4. 4

    Boil the ziti 2 minutes short of al dente; drain.

    ⏲ Undercook pasta: ~8 min

    Look for: Firm with a chalky center.

  5. 5

    Fold pasta with the poblano-corn mixture, the crema, and half the melting cheese.

  6. 6

    Spread in a greased dish and top with the remaining melting cheese.

  7. 7

    Bake covered 20 minutes, then uncovered 15–20 minutes until bubbling and browned.

    ⏲ Bake: ~40 min

    Look for: Center is steaming hot and the cheese is melted and spotty-brown.

    Food safety: Bake and reheat until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).

  8. 8

    Rest 10 minutes, then finish with cotija and extra cilantro.

    ⏲ Rest: ~10 min

Troubleshooting & common mistakes

  • Skipping the poblano peel, which can leave tough, bitter skin.
  • Boiling the crema hard, which can make it grainy — keep the bake gentle.

Make-ahead, storage & reheating

Make ahead
Roast the poblanos and cook the corn a day ahead; assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours, adding time to the covered bake from cold.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freezes acceptably; dairy-based sauces can loosen, so stir after reheating to 165°F (74°C).
Reheating
Reheat portions covered at 350°F (175°C) with a splash of milk.

Recipe notes

  • For heat, leave a few poblano seeds in or add a minced serrano.
  • This is an inspired adaptation of Mexican rajas con crema flavors — it is not a traditional Mexican dish.

FAQ

How do I roast poblanos?
Char them under a broiler or over a flame until blackened, steam in a covered bowl 10 minutes, then rub off the skins and remove the seeds.
What cheese melts like Oaxaca?
Low-moisture mozzarella is the closest easy swap; it melts into similar stretchy strands.

Nutrition (estimate)

Per 1 of 10 servings: ~460 kcal, 17 g protein, 52 g carbs, 20 g fat.

Estimated from listed quantities via a standard USDA-based database; approximate, not lab-verified.

Pantry · shelf-stable

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Shelf-stable staples for this recipe. Fresh cheese, produce, and meat are best bought locally. As an Amazon Associate, ZitiRecipe earns from qualifying purchases.

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