This creamy corn pasta with basil and lemon is the ultimate summer pasta. It is a must-try dish when sweet corn is in season. It is a perfect meatless meal that’s effortless to make and comes together in 20 minutes. It’s decadent and full of flavors.
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When sweet corn is best during summer, you must try this creamy corn pasta recipe. It’s really simple and easy to make and it features fresh corn and shell pasta in a luscious creamy sauce. With amazing flavors from shallots, garlic, chicken stock, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil it’s summer in a bowl.
The sweetness of the corn and the saltiness of Parmesan cheese is pure heaven. It’s a cozy and comforting meal like this creamy creamy garlic pasta and chicken bacon ranch pasta.
This recipe has cream in it, you can easily adapt and make it without adding any cream. Creamed corn can be blended and added to the dish to give the sauce body and depth.
Ingredients
- Sweet corn – fresh corn from the cob is best. When corn is not in season you can use frozen corn.
- Pasta – pasta shells are great. It’s best to use pasta shapes that will hold the sauce. Shell pasta, macaroni (elbow pasta), orecchiette, cavatappi, rotini, farfalle, rigatoni are best.
- Aromats – shallots and garlic. Highly recommend you use fresh ingredients over dried powders
- Butter – use unsalted butter.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil.
- All-purpose flour – to make a roux.
- Heavy cream or whipping cream – Do not substitute with milk or half and half. The fat in heavy cream will prevent the sauce from turning grainy.
- Seasoning – salt and pepper. Use white ground pepper.
- Italian seasoning – for added flavor.
- Parmesan – highly recommend you use freshly grated parmesan from block cheese over pre-grated cheese from a bag.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed.
- Fresh basil.
Variations
Feel free to add vegetables like cherry tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, and asparagus.
For protein add cooked and shredded chicken or shrimp to the pasta.
Fry bacon, crumble, and add it to the pasta in the end for a crispy bite and umami. Crumble Parmesan crisps and sprinkle on top just before serving.
Swap Parmesan cheese with cotija cheese (Mexican cheese).
Sprinkle red chili flakes to add heat to the dish.
Step-by-step Instructions
Remove the corn kernels from the cob.
Step 1: In a large pot boil water. Add generous salt. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al-dente (I always drain pasta couple of minutes before the mentioned time as per packet instructions). Reserve 1 to 1 ½ cups of pasta water for later use.
Step 2: Drain pasta.
Step 3: To a large skillet add butter and extra virgin olive oil.
Step 4: Sauté shallots for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Sauté minced garlic for a few seconds in the pan.
Step 6: Sprinkle flour and cook with constant stirring for about a minute.
Step 7: Pour chicken stock and rigorously whisk constantly.
Step 8: The roux will begin to thicken quickly.
Step 9: Reduce heat and pour heavy cream along with some pasta water.
Step 10: You can pour the pasta water required to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Do not cook sauce on high heat, if it starts rapidly bubbling it will curdle and split.
Step 11: Whisk well and continue to cook on low heat until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
Step 12: Add fresh corn, ground white pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning to the sauce. Let it cook on low heat, and keep stirring frequently.
Step 13: Add cooked pasta and give it a good mix.
Step 14: Remove pan from heat, and grate Parmesan cheese into the pot. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and tear fresh basil leaves roughly and add to the pasta.
Stir well and serve immediately hot.
Best Tips
- Always cook pasta al-dente.
- I do not recommend substituting heavy cream with milk or half and half. The fat in heavy cream will prevent the sauce from turning grainy.
- Shred cheese from the block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese from a bag. Pre-shredded cheese has fillers (non-caking agents) that will prevent the cheese from melting and cause the sauce to turn grainy.
- The sauce will begin to thicken as it cools. You can adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding pasta cooked water.
Storage
The pasta reheats nicely. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water or chicken stock to loosen the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Pasta shells are great. No constrictions though, feel free to use macaroni pasta, penne, or any other pasta you would like.
No. Always shred cheese from the block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese from a bag. Pre-shredded cheese has fillers (anti-caking agents) that will prevent the cheese from melting, causing the sauce to turn grainy.
Feel free to add proteins like cooked chicken, shrimp, sausages, or crispy bacon.
Vegetables like steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower, peas, or mushrooms are great too.
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📋Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces shell pasta
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup fresh corn
- ¼ teaspoon white ground pepper
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated from block
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 10-15 fresh basil leaves roughly torn
Instructions
- Remove the corn kernels from the cob.
- In a large pot boil water. Add generous salt. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al-dente (I always drain pasta couple of minutes before the mentioned time as per packet instructions). Reserve 1 to 1 ½ cups of pasta water for later use.
- To a large skillet add butter and extra virgin olive oil.
- Sauté shallots for 30 seconds.
- Sauté minced garlic for a few seconds in the pan.
- Sprinkle flour and cook with constant stirring for about a minute.
- Pour chicken stock and rigorously whisk constantly. The roux will begin to thicken quickly.
- Reduce heat and pour heavy cream along with some pasta water.
- Whisk well and continue to cook on low heat until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. You can pour the pasta water required to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Do not cook sauce on high heat, if it starts rapidly bubbling it will curdle and split.
- Add fresh corn, ground white pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning to the sauce.
- Let it cook on low heat, and keep stirring frequently.
- Add cooked pasta and give it a good mix.
- Remove pan from heat, and grate Parmesan cheese into the pot. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and tear fresh basil leaves roughly and add to the pasta.
- Stir well and serve immediately hot.
Video
Notes
- Always cook pasta al-dente.
- I do not recommend substituting heavy cream with milk or half and half. The fat in heavy cream will prevent the sauce from turning grainy.
- Shred cheese from the block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese from a bag. Pre-shredded cheese has fillers (non-caking agents) that will prevent the cheese from melting and cause the sauce to turn grainy.
- The sauce will begin to thicken as it cools. You can adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding pasta cooked water.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and I’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2014 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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