Every season I gravitate towards one item. Some summers it's been zucchini while others it's tomatoes. This year, I've been a sweet corn fiend. Sweet corn has been my go-to salad topping, filler for grain bowls and now this sweet corn pasta.
I love using soft cheeses as a cheater way to make a sauce. The goat cheese in this sweet corn pasta dish creates a silky sauce that isn't overpowering. However, and this is especially true if you stick to the whole wheat pasta, plan on no leftovers. If the pasta is allowed to sit, all the sauce soaks in and you're left with some dry pasta!
Pairings for Sweet Corn Pasta
This recipe was originally created for the Fast and Furious column in the San Jose Mercury Newspaper which means, it's a quick meal (under 30 minutes). With that in mind, it's important to keep everything else in the 'easy' category. This sweet corn pasta is plenty rich and filling to cover the entire meal. This is also the type of meal I might pull out a few olives to snack on before hand.
Side: Simple salad of arugula, tomatoes, almonds, and cucumber with a light lemon dressing- skip the cheese, the pasta has you covered.
Drink: Sauvignon Blanc or dry Rosé (my favorite as of late). You won't want a sweet wine- the goat cheese/sweet corn will shine this way.
Dessert: Crepes with Roasted Berries + Honey. Crepes are one of those items I make ahead of time and freeze for exactly this use. Since rhubarb isn't currently in season, I'd swap in either more berries or peaches.
Goat Cheese and Sweet Corn Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 2 to 3 1x
Ingredients
- 6 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup minced white onion
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels (roughly 2 ears of sweet corn)
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, plus extra for topping
- Red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, then set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, then minced onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or just until the onion is fragrant. Stir in sweet corn; cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, just until the sweet corn has softened and has brightened in color.
- In a blender, combine the goat cheese, milk, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Add to the skillet with the sweet corn, along with the drained pasta and basil. Stir until well combined and serve with an extra sprinkle of basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
+Recipe originally developed for the San Jose Mercury Newspaper.
+Make it gluten-free by using a high quality gluten-free fettuccine noodle.
+ If you can't find vegetarian-friendly parmesan cheese, ditch it. This is a great reference list to find a veg-friendly brand.
Katelyn says
This sounds AMAZING! I can't wait to give it a go.
Olivia says
I hate to ask but is there any alternative to goat's cheese here?
I love sweetcorn & pasta but I've never liked goat's cheese - most likely because almost all restaurants resort to it in their vegetarian options! Maybe dolcelatte or something similar?
x
erin says
I've never tried dolcelatte, but it might work. I tend to gravitate towards cream cheese for it's soft texture/melts easy.
Sophie says
I've been gravitating towards corn much more than ever before this summer. Haven't put it into a pasta yet, although looking at these pictures I don't see why not!
Cristina @ I Say Nomato says
This looks so interesting! I've never tried corn on my fettuccine before, and I love the goat cheese to make it silky smooth! Gorgeous.
Beth says
Absolutely love goats cheese. Buffalo cheese is even more distinct, I might try that too.
Great post, I'm a new follower,
Beth
Christina @ but i'm hungry says
I might have to try this this week... I have so much sweetcorn in my fridge right now... I can't help myself when I see it at the market!
Eileen says
You have to love fresh summer corn! And what a delicious way to eat as much of it as possible.
Amy | Tiny Red Kitchen says
I have some leftover corn that I'm looking for a way to use up that's better than just grilling or boiling. This is perfect!
Cassie says
I'll have to get some corn pasta myself 😀 I don't really like corn kernels though--I know I'm weird!
Kerstin says
Oh my that sounds and looks amazing! I'm so gonna try that next week. Thank you so much for this lovely recipe.
Love, Kerstin
Joanna says
Goat's cheese is absolutely my favourite! It took a while to convince me to the smell and taste but now there is no stopping me! Great recipe! 🙂
Alexandra says
Yum! I love how simple this sauce is. It's always nice when you can skip the roux step, haha.
This summer I've also been loving corn. I just cut it off the cob and add to whatever I'm cooking. It adds great crunch and a bit of sweetness 🙂
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
Yum! I love your pairings Erin. They all sound so lovely!! 🙂
Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says
Interesting combo - sweet corn and pasta! It looks like a hearty meal so I will definitely try this one. I'm loving your pairings for this recipe as well!
Susan says
This dish sounds like one I really need to make. I am not a vegetarian, but like having meatless meals on a fairly regular basis. I'm looking forward to trying this.
Clorinda says
Hi,
This is a silly question but do you cook the corn first separately?
Thank you,
Clorinda Emerson
erin says
No! Just let it cook for the 8 minutes or so with the other ingredients and you're good!
Jen says
This was speedy and tasty! Thanks for a winner.
JoLynne says
This was delish and the adults and kids enjoyed it. Fast and easy to put together.
★★★★★