Creamy Corn Pasta with Parmesan and Basil
A creamy corn pasta with a silky parmesan sauce, sweet bursts of corn and a squeeze of lemon for freshness. Finished with basil, it’s simple, comforting and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1-1¼ cups corn (from 2 ears, see notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 2-3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 40 grams finely grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- handful torn fresh basil leaves
- salt to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package instructions. I like to undercook dried pasta by a minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
Prepare the corn
- If using whole corn cobs, char them either on a BBQ or in a very hot pan on the stovetop over high heat for about 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until blistered and lightly charred in spots. Let them sit without moving too much to develop color, then slice the kernels off and set aside.
- If not charring, slice the kernels off the cobs and cook them in 1 tablespoon of butter in a separate pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until tender and sweet, stirring occasionally. Set aside, then start the sauce.
Make the sauce
- In a large fry pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic (and red pepper flakes if using) and cook gently for 1 minute until fragrant, it shouldn’t brown at all.
- Pour in the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer, lowering the heat if needed so it never boils.
- Add the parmesan in 2-3 additions, mixing well and letting it melt between each addition until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta, corn, pepper and ¼ cup pasta water and toss well.
- Let it gently bubble away for a minute or two so the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce thickens.
- Add the lemon juice, mix well and check for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Add an extra splash of pasta water if you need to loosen. Remember it will thicken a lot off the heat so keep it on the saucy side in pan.
- Serve with extra parmesan and the fresh basil on top.
Video
Notes
Corn - (frozen or canned) Frozen or canned corn works perfectly in this recipe. If using frozen, add it straight to the pan and cook for a few minutes until heated through. If using canned, drain well before using. You can sauté either in butter for extra flavor or simply warm through before adding to the sauce.
Pasta cooking - Undercook dried pasta by a minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce and absorb flavor without overcooking.
Parmesan - Finely grate your parmesan using a microplane or the smallest side of a grater. This helps it melt smoothly into the sauce.
Heat control - Keep the heat low when adding the cream and parmesan. The sauce should never boil, just a very gentle simmer.
Sauce consistency - Use pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed. It will thicken a lot as it sits, so keep it slightly looser than you think in the pan.