Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil is ultra-fresh and packed with summer herbs and vegetables. Plus the light and silky pasta sauce comes together using starchy pasta cooking water, instead of heavy cream.
“This recipe is FABULOUS!! Incredible flavor!!! Great summer recipe!! I would give it 10 stars!!”
Sweet corn season is short, so I suggest you make Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil as often as you can before summer slips away.
This light yet decadent pasta is packed with summer herbs and vegetables, yet doesn’t contain a drop of milk or cream.
Instead, cooked pasta is tossed with freshly grated parmesan cheese and starchy pasta cooking water to create a light, silky sauce. You can literally watch the cheese and water transform before your eyes!
Main Ingredients Needed
Just a handful of fresh, summery ingredients is all you need to whip up this light, summer supper:
- Spaghetti: or your favorite pasta shape. I typically use a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta such as Barilla GF or Rummo GF, but whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Sweet corn: see below for the easiest and safest way to remove sweet corn kernels from the cob.
- Cauliflower: an unexpected but excellent pairing with sweet corn.
- Basil: for a burst of summery flavor in each bite.
- Garlic: adds craveable flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: mixes with the pasta cooking water to create a light and silky pasta sauce.
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Pin ItAdd Creaminess with Pasta Cooking Water
Pasta cooking water is a great way to create a creamy sauce without having to add cream to a recipe. Since it contains all the starch from the pasta, it thickens things up nicely without diluting the flavor of the dish.
Simply scoop water some pasta cooking water into the dish then stir until it’s saucy. Easy as that!
How to Slice Kernels Off the Cob
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Saute the vegetables.
Start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chopped cauliflower and shallots, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the cauliflower begins to turn golden brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium then add fresh sweet corn kernels that have been sliced from the cob, minced fresh garlic, plus more salt and pepper.
Saute until the sweet corn is slightly tender, another five minutes or so. About this point you might feel faint from the delicious scent wafting around your kitchen!
Step 2: Cook the spaghetti.
Meanwhile, cook gluten-free spaghetti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Next, this is important:
DO NOT DRAIN THE PASTA!
Rather, carefully use a glass measuring cup to scoop out ~2 cups pasta cooking water and set it aside. This starch-rich water is what will thicken our sauce.
Step 3: Create the creamy pasta sauce.
Use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pot into the skillet then add chopped fresh basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The pasta shouldn’t taste lemony, just brightened.
Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water plus freshly grated parmesan cheese then stir and toss the pasta with the heat still on medium until a light and silky sauce has formed.
Add more pasta cooking water (or parmesan!) as needed until you get the right consistency.
Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice if desired, then swirl onto plates and dig in. I hope you love this saucy, summery pasta dish – enjoy!
More Sweet Corn Recipes
- Creamy Summer Veggie Gnocchi Skillet
- Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Summer Sweet Corn Saute
- Sweet Corn Soup
- Sweet Corn Risotto
- Sweet Corn with Maple-Bourbon Brown Butter and Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 oz gluten free spaghetti, or your favorite pasta shape
- 6 Tablespoons butter, or vegan butter
- 10 oz cauliflower, trimmed then chopped into small florets
- 1 small shallot, minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 ears sweet corn, kernels sliced from cob
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
- squeeze fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with a small palmful of salt then add the pasta and cook until al dente. DO NOT DRAIN. Carefully use a glass measuring dish or measuring cup to scoop out ~2 cups pasta cooking water and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and shallots, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the cauliflower begins to turn golden brown, 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium then add the sweet corn and garlic, season with more salt and pepper, and then saute until the sweet corn is slightly tender, 5 more minutes. Add the basil and a small squeeze of lemon juice (you can always add more later) then stir to combine. If the pasta is not done cooking at this point, turn the heat down to low.
- Once the pasta is al dente, and you've scooped out the pasta cooking water, use tongs to transfer the pasta into the skillet then toss to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water then simmer while stirring until a light and creamy sauce has formed. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a light sauce. Taste then add more salt and/or fresh lemon juice, and then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I made this tonight with fettuccini and it was amazing! Thanks for a new summer recipe! Yum. 😋
Made this dish for supper tonight! I really enjoyed it. It was a combination of ingredients I hadn’t put together with pasta before. I also used some Simple Vegan Pesto and fresh chopped parsley in it to supplement the basil I had on hand. Next time though I won’t salt as often as the recipe suggested, for my tastes. Delicious, Kristin!
Sounds perfect, Nancy!! Great idea to swap in pesto for the fresh basil. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Hi Kristin, Question Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil
After you remove the 2 cups of water from the pasta pat, do you then drain the pasta, or leave it in the cooking water? Thanks, Ally : )
Hi Ally! After you reserve some of the pasta cooking water you can drain the pasta and let the remainig water drain away in the sink.
I don’t know how this doesn’t have 5+ stars. Its wonderful!
Ha! Well thanks for giving it it’s first — I appreciate it, John!