This creamy corn pasta is the perfect summer recipe when good corn is in season! Here pasta is coated with creamy (but No Cream added!) & little spicy sweet corn sauce and with the freshness of grape tomatoes and basil.
This makes an easy vegetarian pasta dinner that comes together in 30 minutes only.
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❤️You'll Love This Recipe
- It requires only 10 ingredients (plus, salt n pepper).
- This corn pasta gets ready in just 30 minutes (from prep to serve). You’ll need to cook pasta and sauce simultaneously to get this done quickly.
- The sauce is so creamy and delicious (but the secret is NO CREAM added here). The creaminess comes from grinding cooked sweet corn & the addition of little ricotta.
- This makes a light yet filling vegetarian meal, perfect for summer weather.
🧾Ingredients
Here is the pic of ingredients you’ll need to make this incredibly delicious corn pasta. All of them are easily available in your grocery store.
Ingredient Notes
Rotini: I like to use this spiral pasta because the curves and grooves of each pasta can hold the creamy sauce so well. The best substitutes are fusilli and cavatappi. Though you can use most common varieties like penne, macaroni, etc.
Jalapeno: It adds little spice and heat to the dish. If you do not prefer the heat then you can skip it entirely. Or adjust the amount as per liking spice level.
Scallion: I like to use scallions (and not onion) because they are so mild in flavor and do not compete with corn flavor which is the main focus of the dish.
Sweet corn: When in the season I like to use fresh corn cobs. But you can use frozen or canned corn kernels.
Grape tomatoes: It adds nice fresh bite and flavor to the pasta dish. You can use cherry tomatoes but I would not recommend using regular tomatoes, chopped.
Ricotta: Yes, a little amount of ricotta is used which adds some creaminess and richness to the sauce.
Basil: It is a must to get nice fresh, bright flavors. You can use dry basil but sure the flavors will be compromised.
🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
1) Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve about ⅓ cup of pasta water before draining. While pasta is boiling start making the sauce.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet/pan on medium heat. Once hot add minced garlic and saute for a minute or till the garlic starts to brown.
2) Now add jalapeno and scallions, sprinkle a little salt. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or till scallions are cooked and wilted.
3) Add corn kernels, salt and pepper.
4) Mix and cook for 10 minutes (covered) or till corn becomes soft and cooked. Do stir once or twice in between.
5) Now take ⅔ portion of cooked corn mixture into the blender jar.
6) Add ricotta cheese.
7) Add reserved pasta water. And grind into the fine puree. Keep it aside.
8) Now in the remaining ⅓ of corn mixture, add grape tomatoes.
9) Mix and saute for 2 minutes or so till tomatoes start to soften (but hold the shape). Do not cook too much that tomatoes are so soft and become mushy.
10) Now add prepared corn puree.
11) Squeeze fresh lemon juice.
12) Mix and let the sauce come to a simmer.
13 )Add boiled pasta and chopped basil.
14) Toss well so the sauce is coated to each and every pasta well. Cook for a minute or two and it is ready to serve.
💭Expert Tips
- Do not overcook the tomatoes that they become mushy. We need to keep the crunch of the tomatoes and they should hold their shape. Mushy, soft ones do not taste good in this corn pasta.
- Add basil at the end to retain its flavor.
- Cook the pasta and sauce both side by side, so all comes together quickly in just about 20 minutes.
Check Out Other Pasta Recipes
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📋 Recipe Card
Creamy Corn Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz Pasta Dry, uncooked (Rotini, Fusilli or Penne)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped or minced
- 2 teaspoons Jalapeno finely chopped
- ½ cup Scallions chopped
- 2 Corn cobs or 1 ⅓ cups Sweet corn kernels
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Grape tomatoes cut into halves
- 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Basil leaves chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve about ⅓ cup of pasta water before draining. While pasta is boiling start making the sauce.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet/pan on medium heat. Once hot add minced garlic and saute for a minute or till the garlic starts to brown.
- Now add jalapeno and scallions, sprinkle a little salt. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes or till scallions are cooked and wilted.
- Add corn kernels, salt and pepper. Mix and cook for 10 minutes (covered) or till corn becomes soft and cooked. Do stir once or twice in between.
- Now take ⅔ portion of cooked corn mixture into the blender jar. Add ricotta cheese and reserved pasta water. And grind into the fine puree. Keep it aside.
- Now in the remaining ⅓ of corn mixture, add grape tomatoes.
- Mix and saute for 2 minutes or so till tomatoes start to soften (but hold the shape). Do not cook too much that tomatoes are so soft and become mushy.
- Now add prepared corn puree and squeeze fresh lemon juice. Mix and let the sauce come to a simmer.
- Add boiled pasta and chopped basil. Toss well so the sauce is coated to each and every pasta well. Cook for a minute or two and it is ready to serve.
Notes
- Jalapeno: It adds little spice and heat to the dish. If you do not prefer the heat then you can skip it entirely. Or adjust the amount as per liking spice level.
- Do not overcook the tomatoes that they become mushy. We need to keep the crunch of the tomatoes and they should hold their shape. Mushy, soft ones do not taste good in this corn pasta.
- Add basil at the end to retain its flavor.
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