Sweet corn and Parmigiano Reggiano are a match made in heaven in my Creamy Corn Pasta. This incredibly flavorful dish is easy to make and one that everyone loves! Perfect for weeknights – especially in Summer!

Black pan with creamy corn pasta topped with basil leaves.

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A seasonal favorite

When it’s warm out, there’s nothing better than sweet corn. It grows in abundance where I live on Long Island and in most of the US. This amazing ingredient, which is great on its own, is the star of the show in summer dishes like my corn chowder and now my creamy corn pasta.

This decadent dish has just a few ingredients, and despite its name, actually has no cream in it. A portion of the corn is pureed and combined with Parmigiano Reggiano in a shallot white wine sauce, yielding an incredibly creamy texture. It literally tastes like summer!

I like to finish this pasta with some fresh basil leaves and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Creamy corn pasta is excellent as a first course prior to other summer favorites like steak tagliata and chicken spiedini.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

Ingredients shown: corn cobs and frozen kernels, basil, parmigiano reggiano, garlic, shallots, white wine, olive oil, and orecchiette pasta.

Corn. I’m using a combination of fresh corn off the cob and frozen corn. You can use all fresh corn or all frozen corn, depending on what is available to you. The added benefit to using corn from the cob is that after the kernels are removed from the cob, you can use what’s left to make a corn stock as outlined below.
Cheese. Since there are so few ingredients, I do recommend using the best quality cheese your budget allows. Parmigiano Reggiano is preferred, but you can also use grated domestic Parmesan or Pecorino.
Wine. A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc adds brightness and acidity to the creamy corn pasta. You can omit the wine entirely if preferred or sub in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Pasta. I used orrechiette for this recipe, but you can use any pasta you’d like. Rigatoni or penne would also be great.
Herbs. I like to finish this dish with some fresh basil. Fresh parsley would also be good. I do not recommend substituting either of these with dried herbs. If you can’t access fresh basil or fresh parsley, simply omit.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

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How to make creamy corn pasta with fresh corn and frozen kernels

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

Remove the kernels from the corn cobs.
Scrape the cobs juice into the water and place the cobs in a pot of water and bring to a boil.

Recipe process shot collage group one showing cutting fresh corn from cobs, boiling the cobs, straining the corn stock, and sauteing onions and shallots.

After 30 minutes of simmering, strain the cobs through a mesh strainer and discard the cobs. Save the stock for use in the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat a large pan to medium-low and add the olive oil, shallots, and garlic, and cook until fragrant and golden.
Turn the heat to medium and add all the corn kernels.
Cook for 3 minutes then remove half of the corn and place in a bowl.

Collage two showing sauteing the corn kernels, removing half of the kernels to a bowl, adding stock and wine to the corn, and pureeing the corn.

Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water to 1 minute less than al dente. Add the wine to the pan with the corn and bring to a boil. Once the wine reduces by half, add the corn stock.
Pour the corn mixture into a large bowl or measuring cup and use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.
Pour the pureed corn sauce back into the pan and return the whole cooked corn kernals and cook over medium-low heat.
When the pasta is done, reserve 2 cups of pasta water and add the pasta to the corn sauce and cook just until al dente.

Collage three showing returning the saved whole kernels to the sauce, mixing in the pasta, adding the grated parmesan, and the finished dish topped with basil leaves.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
Taste test and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Tear the basil leaves and add to the pasta. Garnish with whole basil leaves and serve immediately.

Top tips

Creamy corn sauce consistency. I like having a mixture of pureed corn and whole corn kernels, so that’s how I make it for myself. If you want to puree the entire amount of corn, feel free to do so. This will yield a very smooth sauce. Conversely, if you prefer to keep all the corn kernels intact, you can do that as well, and the sauce will be much thinner. Do whatever works best for you and your unique palate.
Save the pasta water. This is a key step in this recipe, so be sure to reserve at least 2 cups of pasta water. You likely won’t need it all but it’s better to have it and not need it. It can help reconstitute the sauce and make it even creamier – especially if adding more cheese.
Corn stock. The corn stock adds great flavor and sweetness to the dish but if you prefer to skip this step, simply replace it with vegetable stock, or chicken stock.
Serving. Fresh basil or fresh parsley at the end is great. I also love to top each plate with freshly ground black pepper.

More warm-weather pastas

If you’re looking for more simple pastas that celebrate the flavors of spring and summer, give these recipes a try.

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