Creamy Corn Pasta

With abundant beautiful summer corn, let me introduce this creamy corn pasta recipe. Fresh corn on the cob is the base of the delicious pasta sauce with two simple ingredients. You will love this fresh summer pasta dish!

Instead of making a typical vegan creamy pasta sauce, the magical ingredient for this creamy corn pasta salad is corn! I love summer corn on the cob, and right now, corn is practically free! So, I used corn for a simple, delicious pasta sauce with two simple ingredients. Then, I reserve some corn to add to the dish!

Jump to:

• Creamy Corn Pasta Ingredients
• Creamy Corn Pasta Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Creamy Corn Pasta
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Suggested Vegan Recipes to Try!
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Creamy Corn Pasta Ingredients

• Corn on the Cob: I grilled the corn on the cob, but it can also be boiled or microwaved.
• Orecchiette Pasta: The cup-like structure of orecchiette allows sauce and peas to nestle inside and cling to the pasta, so choosing something that will act similarly is ideal.
• Mushrooms: I love sauteed mushrooms for the texture and meatiness the recipe.
• Shallot: Shallots have a flavor that some people describe as onion with a hint of garlic on the finish. They are peppery like raw red onion but get sweet when cooked. Their flavor is a bit more delicate than that of onions.
• Peas: I used frozen peas and cooked them with the pasta in the last few minutes.
• Basil: I prefer using fresh basil. If using dry basil, use half the amount specified in the recipe. Dry herbs are much more potent in flavor.
• Pepper: I used fresh ground pepper.
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese (Optional): I make homemade vegan parmesan cheese for a garnish for this creamy corn pasta recipe.

Creamy Corn Pasta Ingredient Substitutions

• Use canned or frozen cooked corn instead of fresh corn.
• Choose any type of pasta.
• Substitute mushrooms with zucchini or summer squash if you don't like mushrooms.
• Red onion substitutes shallots in the recipe.
• Butter beans or black-eyed peas substitute peas in recipe .
• Instead of basil, try parsley.
• Skip the vegan parmesan cheese, or purchase your favorite store-bought vegan parmesan cheese.

How to Make Creamy Corn Pasta

1. Begin by shucking the corn, and preheating a grill to 400 degrees.
2. Place the corn on the cob directly on the grill grate.
3. Grill the corn for 15 minutes, rotating the corn every 5 minutes with the grill cover closed. 
4. If you don't own a grill, don't despair; boil fresh corn for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water with a bit of salt. 
5. Although I prefer the charred, grilled flavor, frozen and canned corn also works. 
6. Once the corn cools, cut the corn from the cobs. I like using a mandoline to remove corn from the cobs quickly.
7. In a skillet, over medium heat, saute the shallot and mushrooms.
8. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
9. While the pasta cooks, add 2 cups of corn to a blender cup.
10. Remove 1 cup of pasta water from the pot, and add it to the blender cup.
11. Blend the sauce until smooth.
12. Set it aside.
13. Add the frozen peas to the cooking pasta three minutes before the pasta is done.
14. Using a colander, drain the pasta and cooked peas.
15. Transfer the cooked pasta and peas pack into the pan.
16. Add the sauteed shallots and mushrooms to the pasta and peas.
17. Fold the reserved corn into the pasta mixture.
18. Pour the corn sauce into the pan, and toss into the pasta and vegetables.
19. Serve with cut basil, fresh ground pepper, and vegan parmesan cheese (optional).

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Choose any pasta. I like the whole-grain orecchiette pasta because the peas fall into the little holes in the pasta.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of nutritional yeast to the sauce for a cheesier flavor.
• If using frozen corn, it must be cooked. However, the reserved one cup of corn can be cooked with peas. But the remaining 3 cups of the sauce need to be cooked before making the sauce.
• Grilling the corn gives it a smoky flavor. To mimic that flavor, use canned or frozen corn and add a teaspoon of liquid smoke (I like the hickory-flavored liquid smoke). Or add a little smoked paprika instead.
• The pasta water is the second and only other ingredient for the pasta sauce.

For a fresh summer treat, try this creamy corn pasta recipe. This is such an easy recipe, and it's delicious.

Suggested Vegan Recipes to Try!

If you love this creamy corn pasta recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

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