one pan jalapeño popper street corn orzo bake
Jalapeño in the streets, popper in the sheets.
That joke would’ve worked SO much better if this were a sheet pan meal. Stowed for later.
This is a godly dish, ya’ll. All things summertime, street food, Mexican-inspired, and pasta. Feeds a crowd, makes bomb ass leftovers, and best of all, completely smothered in a layer of gooey, melty cheese. What’s not to enjoy?
I initially had a different plan with a bunch of leftover cheddar (I still have some left, honestly) but as is the norm for 4 am brain treks, I switched my path and opted for this. So glad I did.
One part spicy, one part gooey, one part savory, all the parts awesome. Super simple and comes together in one pan, so minimal dishes required. Score. I really don’t know what else to say about this guy. So I’ll shut up and let the photos do the chitter chattering.
Corny on the Streets
If you’re unfamiliar, street corn, or elotes, is a Mexican street dish of grilled corn slathered in cotija, spices, and mayonnaise, typically served on a stick.
And the jalapeño popper? An appetizer of a hollowed out pepper stuffed with a cream cheese filling, green onions, and often bacon, sometimes breaded and fried and other times baked.
We’ll take the elote inspiration and translate it into a creamy sauce to pour over dry orzo. I bought fresh corn cobs and stripped them myself, but you can use canned or frozen if you’d like.
Whichever you choose, mix the corn with milk, cream cheese, a touch of butter, green onions, garlic powder, and fresh cilantro. Taste for salt and pepper and sprinkle it in until you’re pleased with the concentration.
Or-zo Fine
Or-zo fine you blow my mind.
Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish, then dump the orzo inside. Pour that lovely street corn mixture overtop as well as some water so the pasta will cook properly.
Then, layer on the jalapeños. If you want a less spicy popper, deseed and devein them first and chop the green bits up. I kept mine in rounds because I like a little kick in the ass, and merely shook some of the seeds out. Theoretically into the trash, probably all over my counter because I’m a fucking mess.
Stir the concoction around a bit to distribute everything. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until the orzo is puffed up and most of the water is absorbed. Not all of it, though. A little moisture is a good thing and keeps the dish from drying out.
Uncover, then dust on streaks of cheddar cheese. I used a combination of white and yellow, but pick what you like or have. My excessive ass had both. Bake a bit longer to melt the cheese. I switch on the broiler in the last couple minutes to brown the top a bit. Nothing beats crispy cheese.
That’s it, kids. One pan, bunches of flavor, plenty of downtime to tackle chores and clean up the jalapeño seeds you flung around the kitchen. I love adding some extra cilantro and green onions to the casserole, and a squeeze of lime for serving. If you’ve got some tortilla chips lying around, all the better. So good for scooping up the creamy filling.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Got lots of jalapeños around? Try these dishes out:
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeño Peach Salsa
Sheet Pan Chipotle Lime Salmon with Jalapeño Avocado Salsa
Chipotle Black Bean Jalapeño Popper Taquitos
one pan jalapeño popper street corn orzo bake
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
- 3 jalapeños, deseeded (if desired) and sliced
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lb dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- additional green onions, cilantro, and limes, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, yogurt, butter, milk, garlic powder, cilantro, and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the corn kernels and green onions until combined.
- Dump the orzo into the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour the milk mixture and 2 1/2 cups of water overtop, then spread the jalapeños evenly. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover the dish with foil. Bake 35-40 minutes until the orzo absorbs most of the water. Uncover and sprinkle with the cheeses. Bake an additional 10-12 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot with additional green onions, cilantro, and lime, as desired.
