It's sweet corn season, which means it's time to harness the flavor of this Midwest staple in a new way! Combined with fresh tomatoes and basil, this garden-inspired pasta can come together in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight meal, this pasta will become a fan favorite in your home in no time!
1lbcherry tomatoesquartered (if using large tomatoes, dice in ½-inch pieces)
¾cupgrated Parmesan cheese
fresh basilas desired
Instructions
Boil water according to the instructions on the pasta being used and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water if needed for the sauce. The sauce can usually be prepared in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.
1 lb pasta (penne, cascatelli, farfalle)
In a 4-quart stockpot or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once heated, add the shallot. Sauté until the shallot begins to turn golden, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and kosher salt, and stir to warm the garlic.
2 tbsp olive oil, ½ cup diced shallot, 3 cloves garlic, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
Pour all of the sweet corn into the stockpot. Sauté the corn until it is bright yellow and tender, 4-6 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low.
4 cups (about 4 ears) freshly cut sweet corn, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Remove 1 cup of sweet corn mixture from the stockpot. Using an immersion or countertop blender, blend the corn and the heavy cream until it is smooth, 1 minute. Pour the sweet corn and cream mixture into the cooked sweet corn. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
1 cup heavy cream
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese and prepared tomatoes. Stir over medium-low heat to finish the pasta, 1-2 minutes. Remove the pasta from the heat. Before serving, tear pieces of basil over the top, along with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 lb cherry tomatoes
Video
Notes
Use either fresh or frozen sweet corn. The great part about this recipe is that it can be used with either type, since frozen sweet corn is still super flavorful and makes it a recipe that can be made during the fall or winter months. While slicing, be sure not to go too deep. Otherwise, you might get pieces of the inner cob in the dish, which has a tougher texture and lacks flavor.Add the pasta directly from the pot in which it was cooked to the sauce with a spider skimmer. It retains a small amount of the starchy water, which is enough to help make the sauce bind to the noodles.Be sure to use seasoning along each step. This way, it works throughout the dish, and you gain a greater depth of flavor overall.