Although summer seems to be slipping away with each passing day, there’s still loads of fresh sweet corn arriving at the grocery store from local, nearby farms. I’m savoring the late season produce by slicing sweet and crispy kernels off the cob to dot this plate of deliciousness – Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil!
Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil
Join me in refusing to acknowledge time’s inevitable passing with this incredible taste of summer. Cooked pasta is tossed with the holy trinity of summer cooking – sweet corn, basil, and butter – plus lots of garlic, pan-roasted cauliflower, and a wee squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The ingredients are then enveloped in an easy, creamy pan sauce made from parmesan cheese and pasta cooking water. It is so, SO good!
Add 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. All you do is scoop water from the pasta cooking pot into a skillet then stir until the dish is saucy. Couldn’t be easier!
Served as a splashy side dish with dinner or piled into two bowl as a meatless main for you and your mate, you will love, love, love this flavor-packed summer pasta dish. I’ve made it four times in two weeks. Can’t stop won’t stop because – say it with me – VIVA SUMMER!
How to Make this Recipe
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 starts 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, then 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!!
Meanwhile, cook gluten free spaghetti (or whatever pasta shape you have on hand) in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Now, this is important: DO NOT DRAIN THE PASTA when it’s done! Rather, carefully use a glass measuring dish or cup to scoop out ~2 cups pasta cooking water and set aside. This starch-rich water is what will thicken our sauce.
Next, use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the cooking pot into the skillet then add chopped fresh basil and a wee squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This pasta dish isn’t supposed to taste lemony, but a small drizzle wakes all the flavors up.
Last step is to add freshly grated parmesan cheese plus some of the reserved pasta cooking water. 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 parm!) if needed.
Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice if desired, then swirl onto plates and dig in. I hope you love this yummy, saucy, summery pasta dish – enjoy!
Similar Recipes
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Summer Sweet Corn Saute
- Sweet Corn Risotto
- Gnocchi and Chicken Sausage Vegetable Skillet
- Sweet Corn with Maple-Bourbon Brown Butter and Bacon
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil
Description
Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Basil is the ultimate summer pasta dish. Creamy and decadent yet full of vegetables and no actual cream required!
Ingredients
- 6oz gluten free spaghetti (or your favorite pasta shape)
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 10oz cauliflower, trimmed and 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 big pinch of salt then add 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 butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and shallot, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the cauliflower begins to turn golden brown, 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium then add sweet corn and garlic, season with more salt and pepper, and then saute until sweet corn is slightly tender, 5 more minutes. Add basil and a small squeeze of lemon juice (you can always add more later) then stir to combine. If pasta is not done cooking at this point, turn heat down to low.
- Once pasta is al dente, and you've scooped out the pasta cooking water, use tongs to transfer pasta into skillet then toss to combine. Add parmesan cheese and 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water then simmer while stirring until a light and creamy sauce has been formed. Add more pasta cooking water if needed to achieve a light sauce - sauce will thicken as it cools. Taste then add more salt and/or fresh lemon juice, and then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This recipe is FABULOUS!! Incredible flavor!!! Great summer recipe!! I would give it 10 stars!!
Ahh, such high praise – I am SO glad you love the noodles, Wendy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I was wondering what you meant by late season… then I see this is from last year. I’m going to make this and cannot wait. Looks so good!
Yes, you got it!! I hope you love it, Heather!
Can you tell me about how much 10 oz of cauliflower in florets equals?? 2 cups-ish?? Thanks!
I’d go with 1-1/2 – 1-3/4 cups. Generally 12oz of florets = 2 cups!
This is so good! And don’t be afraid to add in veggies. I was shot on cauliflower and added sweet bell peppers and tomatoes. I was NOT disappointed. !!!
Delicious!! So glad you enjoyed, Kim!
I try to track my macros and would love it if you would include the nutritional values with your recipes
Hi Terri, I totally understand! I don’t use a recipe nutrition calculator plugin on my site because I can’t verify them to be 100% accurate and I’d hate to steer someone who is eating with a medical issue in mind (diabetes, for example) wrong. Results can vary widely depending on what service/plugin you use to calculate recipe nutrition information.
This looks so yummy, can’t wait to make it! But I will need to wait till it’s sweet corn season! It’s March now, 2021
It’s super good with frozen sweet corn!
I was looking for a recipe to use some of the fresh basil we planted this year and had some left over corn on the cobb … saw this recipe and thought I’d try it. Very glad I did. Loved it. The recipe is very versatile. I used orrechiette instead of spaghetti, added a bit more water, parm and garlic to our tastes for a little more saucey dish and it was perfect for my bride and I. But I’m sure we would have loved it as it was.
This dish was amazing! The flavors reminded me of carbonara but this sauce was so much easier to make. Will definitely be making again!
I like this pasta recipe . I am not fully understand how to make it . Can you help me to make this pasta recipe. I want to make this recipe. It look like very yummy and tasty. can you send me email with full information.
This is a fabulous dish! I forwarded it to my other foodie friends and they have already tried it as well. Definitely in my rotation – especially for Meatless Monday!
This looks great! I’m going to make it today. Do you use raw corn kernels or cooked?
Hi Ann! The kernels are raw when added to the dish. :)
This is exactly the kind of recipe I’d make a full amount of “for lunch leftovers,” but in reality it’d get finished off in one night while watching Drag Race on Hulu. (All the carbs, all the gowns, I need it ALL.)
100% ALL THE CARBS. It’s too good to stash half away in the fridge! ?
Ooooh Emmmm Geee, yes, please. To this dreamy side dish AND the pumpkin spice pretzels. Can’t wait to try this one!
I hope you love them BOTH, Carla! Thank you!!