Harvest Time Favorite: 30-Minute Creamy Corn Pasta

Name: Creamy Corn Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces orecchiette pasta (or any shape); 4 ears corn (about 2 ½ cups); 4 ounces cream cheese; ½ cup 2% milk; ¼ cup half and half; 2 tablespoons salted butter; ½ teaspoon salt; 1/2 tablespoon sugar (to taste, not necessary if the corn is sweet enough); ½ cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese; freshly shaved parmesan; freshly snipped basil

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Whip up a delightful Creamy Corn Pasta in just 30 minutes. This family-friendly recipe features garden-fresh sweet corn, cream cheese, and parmesan.

Are you looking for a quick, easy, and delicious meal to whip up for your family? This Creamy Corn Pasta recipe takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. Featuring garden-fresh sweet corn, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese, this pasta dish is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you want something comforting and satisfying.

The sweetness of the garden corn, combined with the creaminess of the cheese and the slight saltiness of the parmesan, make for an amazing cream corn pasta. Plus, it’s a great way to use up some of the sweet corn from your garden or to support a local farmer at a market.

a plate of creamy corn pasta with fresh basil on top

About this Creamy Corn Pasta:

Flavor: Slightly sweet, rich & cheesy and a hint of salt thanks to the Parmesan cheese. It has such a comforting flavor profile. The snipped basil on garnishing the top adds another layer of freshness.
Texture: The pasta is a creamy, smooth dish with a slight crunch from the fresh corn. It’s an excellent pairing.
Method: This cooks in two saucepans on the stovetop. Cook the corn however you prefer, but the microwave is a quick & easy way to do it.

Ingredients

Use any combination of milks that you’d like: heavy cream, whole milk, 2% or even skim milk. The higher fat milk you use, the creamier the pasta will be. I use 2% milk and half & half cream.
Any shape pasta will work, but orecchiette, which means “little ears”, are ideal because they are little “cups” that hold the cheese sauce and corn kernels.
Buy a block of parmesan cheese and shred it for the creamiest sauce. Parmesan cheese in a canister will not melt well.
This tastes fabulous with garden-fresh sweet corn. If you don’t have sweet corn on the cob, use a frozen sweet corn. (You may want to add ½ tablespoon of sugar to the cream sauce so that it mimics that sweet corn flavor.

How to Make Creamy Corn Pasta

Cook the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Then drain it and set it aside until the corn and sauce are complete.

Cook the corn.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the corn however you prefer. This summer I’ve been microwaving sweet corn because it is quick, easy and doesn’t steam up the kitchen as much as a boiling pot of water.

To do this, microwave two ears of corn at a time in their husks for 4-5 minutes. Cut off the bottom stem of the ear of corn, then peel back the husk. The silk will easily come off.

Handling carefully because the ears will be very hot, cut the corn kernels off the ears. You should end up with about 2 ½ cups of corn.

sweet corn cut off the cob on a cutting board

Make the creamy sauce.

While the pasta and corn is cooking, make the cream sauce.

In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream cheese, milk, half and half, butter and salt. Heat very slowly so the milk/cream doesn’t scorch. Whisk it often to allow the cream cheese to melt and smooth out the sauce. Don’t let the mixture boil.

milk, butter and cream cheese in a saucepan

As soon as the sauce is melted together smoothly, remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle in freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring between each addition.

Assemble the pasta dish.

Add the corn kernels to the sauce and mix. Then pour it over the pasta.

pasta with corn in a saucepan with a spoon

Recipe Variations

Add garlic cloves. Because garlic is never a bad idea.
Make it gluten-free by using gluten free pasta.
Want the sauce a little thinner? Add a couple tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. This will keep the creaminess but spread the sauce a little further.
Red pepper flakes and black pepper are easy ways to get a hint of spice.
Fresh lemon juice will give a pop of flavor, and you can garnish with lemon wedges.

Make it a meal.

Serve this with the following:

two plates of sweetcorn pasta on a table

You may also love our chicken & broccoli pasta!

Creamy Corn Pasta

5 from 1 vote

Whip up a delightful Creamy Corn Pasta in just 30 minutes. This family-friendly recipe features garden-fresh sweet corn, cream cheese, and parmesan. A perfect quick and easy meal.

Servings 4

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

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Ingredients

8 ounces orecchiette pasta or any shape
4 ears corn about 2 ½ cups
4 ounces cream cheese
½ cup 2% milk
¼ cup half and half
2 tablespoons salted butter
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar to taste, not necessary if the corn is sweet enough
½ cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese

Optional garnishes:

freshly shaved parmesan
freshly snipped basil

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. It's best if the pasta is al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, cook the corn however you prefer. I microwave two ears of corn at a time in their husks in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Then cut off the bottom stem of the ear of corn, then peel back the husk. The silk will easily come off. Handling carefully because the ears will be very hot, cut the corn kernels off the ears. You should end up with about 2 ½ cups of corn.
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream cheese, milk, half and half, butter and salt. Heat very slowly so the milk/cream doesn’t scorch. Whisk or stir it often to allow the cream cheese to melt and smooth out the sauce. Don’t let the mixture boil.
As soon as the sauce is melted together smoothly, remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle in freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring between each addition.
Add the corn kernels to the sauce and mix.
After draining the water off the pasta, add the creamed corn mixture and toss to coat.
Serve with additional shredded parmesan, fresh basil and add salt to taste.

Video

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being ¼ of the pasta. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 478

Keyword cheesy pasta, corn recipe, easy pasta dinner

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen or canned corn instead of fresh corn?

Yes, you can use frozen or canned corn in this creamed corn pasta if fresh corn is not available. Just make sure to drain and rinse the canned corn before using it. If using frozen corn, thaw it and warm it before adding it to the recipe.

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Absolutely! While orecchiette pasta is recommended for this recipe due to its shape and ability to hold the sauce well, you can use any pasta of your choice.

Can I make this dish dairy-free?

Yes, you can make this summer corn pasta dish dairy-free by substituting the cream cheese with a dairy-free cream cheese alternative, the 2% milk with a plant-based milk like almond or oat milk, and the butter with a dairy-free alternative. However, the consistency and flavor of the dish may vary slightly.

Can I add any protein to this dish?

Yes, you can definitely add protein to this dish. Grilled chicken, shrimp, or bacon would be delicious additions. Just make sure to cook the protein separately and then mix it in with the pasta at the end.