This one pot creamy pasta with corn and tomatoes features grilled summer sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cilantro in an ultra-simple cream cheese and lemon sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, this pasta dinner is worth making all summer long! Vegetarian.
This one pot pasta is the PERFECT farewell to summer produce, and it comes together in no time! The most time consuming step is grilling a few ears of sweet corn: We like to meal prep a bunch of grilled corn at the start of the week in summer, but you can also grill your corn up while you wait for the pasta water to boil. Once that's done, it's just a matter of cooking the pasta, chopping a few things and tossing it all together!
This sauce is deceptively simple: We'll melt a dollop of cream cheese into the hot pasta, add a splash of lemon juice, and thin it out with some reserved pasta water to create a smooth, silky consistency. The result is a very light sauce that adds creaminess without heaviness: if you're used to richer cheese sauces (like a mac and cheese sauce or our parmesan spinach gnocchi), this will definitely feel a little different.
The light cream cheese sauce and short ingredient list mean it's especially important to season this dish properly (don't skip the salt, please!) and to use high quality, peak-season produce. This recipe just won't taste the same with winter beefsteak tomatoes as it does with fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes and ears of summer corn! (PS - If you love this recipe, try our summer gnocchi or summer risotto next.)
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Ingredients
For a full ingredients list and exact quantities, scroll to the recipe card below.
This recipe relies on a few key components:
- Pasta! We used orecchiette pasta here to mirror the perfectly bite-sized cherry tomatoes, but you can use any type of noodle you like!
- Grilled Sweet Corn makes all the difference. Use leftover grilled corn (one of our favorite things to meal prep in summer!) or grill up a few ears specifically for this recipe. Use a sharp knife to remove the grilled kernels from the corn cobs.
- Fresh summer cherry tomatoes. Look for cherry tomatoes at the height of their season (May-October, depending on where you live). Buy them from a local grower at your farmers' market if possible: Local tomatoes are often left on the vine longer (and include a wider variety of colors or species) because they don't have to travel as far, which means they'll be extra flavorful.
- Cream cheese. Our favorite shortcut to a quick and creamy pasta sauce! We're using just a dollop here, but you can double the amount of cream cheese if you'd like a richer sauce.
- Lemon juice. A little brightness helps balance out the richness of the cream cheese, and adds important flavor to this simple pasta. Double the lemon juice if you'd like more citrus flavor.
- Fresh cilantro is our go-to here, but you can swap it for fresh basil, parsley, dill, or a mix of your favorite summer herbs.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add aromatics! If you have a few extra minutes and would like a more complex sauce, sauté some diced onion or shallot and minced garlic in a bit of butter or olive oil before adding the hot pasta and cream cheese.
- Use other in-season veggies. Add peas, broccoli, grilled zucchini, spinach, or other veggies to this pasta to make it heartier. If they aren't in season, you can swap the fresh corn and tomatoes for other mix-ins (like roasted butternut squash and kale in fall and winter, or fresh asparagus in spring à la our goat cheese asparagus pasta).
- Top with protein. This pasta is good with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or bacon! Garbanzo beans (chick peas) or butter beans are also tasty in this pasta.
- Mix up the pasta shape. Other short pasta varieties like orzo, rigatoni, or cavatappi work well here. You can also use spaghetti or fettuccine if you prefer!
- Mix up the sauce. Add a splash of heavy cream or parmesan broth to this sauce if you like, or toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of spice. You can also swap in a richer sauce like our traditional creamy white sauce or creamy cilantro pasta sauce for extra oomph (and cheesiness!)
Step by Step Instructions
Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of kosher salt. (Please don't forget to salt your pasta water - this is essential to having a flavorful final dish!) Add your orecchiette or pasta of choice and cook until al dente (check the package instructions for exact timing).
Reserve some pasta water. When the pasta is cooked, use a large measuring cup to reserve ½ cup of pasta water (see image above). This starchy pasta water will help us create a light, silky sauce later on! Learn More: Does Pasta Water Make a Difference?
Drain the pasta, then return it to the pan and place it over low heat.
Build the Sauce and Add Veggies
Melt the cream cheese in the pot with the cooked pasta (Image 1, below). Then add the grilled corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, and lemon juice (2) and stir everything together.
Loosen things up by adding a splash of your reserved pasta water (Image 3, above). Add a Tablespoon or so of pasta water at a time, and stir well between each addition.
Continue adding pasta water a little at a time, until the cream cheese has thinned into a light, silky sauce that evenly coats the pasta. You likely won't need to use all of the pasta water. This technique can take some practice. Remember that the pasta water will be salty - taste this pasta as you go to make sure you're still ok with the seasoning level!
Stir in your fresh cilantro (4). At this point, give the pasta a taste, and add salt, pepper, or extra lemon juice as needed to help the flavors pop. Serve immediately.
3 Tips For Maximum Flavor
This is a SIMPLE pasta dish built for convenience – but no matter how busy you are, it still deserves to taste great! To achieve maximum flavor with only a handful of ingredients, keep a few things in mind:
- Always salt your pasta water. This helps season the pasta as it cooks. Properly salted water should taste "briny, but not knock-you-over salty".
- Use in-season produce. This corn and tomato pasta just is not as good with watery winter tomatoes (sorry!) Lean into whatever produce is freshest near you: If corn and tomatoes aren't in season, check out what is available at your local farmer’s market and use that instead!
- Adjust as needed. One of the most important skills you can develop in the kitchen is to taste as you go. Add small pinches of salt in layers as you stir this pasta dish together for proper seasoning, taste it before serving, and don't be afraid to add extra ingredients (like salt, pepper, herbs, or lemon juice) to help this recipe suit your individual palette.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your cream cheese sauce is looking dry, simply add a bit more liquid! Another splash of pasta water is usually easiest, but you can also add heavy cream, half and half, chicken stock, or parmesan broth to thin out the cream cheese sauce so it’s smooth and silky.
Sure! Just use your favorite dairy-free cream cheese and you’re good to go.
We'll be honest: Grilled corn is our favorite by a very wide margin. You can use canned or frozen corn in a pinch, but you'll sacrifice some flavor (the smokey, rich char you get from grilled corn adds a ton of essential depth to this dish).
And fortunately, you don't actually have to grill corn on a GRILL: You can achieve the same grill-like char by roasting corn in the oven or searing it in a hot cast iron skillet or grill pan.
Of course, you can always swap the corn for something else (like frozen peas, roasted butternut squash, broccoli, or fresh chopped kale) if you don't have corn available (or aren't able to grill a few ears).
If this pasta tastes bland, it's either because 1) it needs more salt or 2) some corners were cut with the corn, tomatoes, or herbs. If you use canned or frozen corn instead of grilled corn, for example, this pasta won't have as much flavor. Same goes for diced winter beefsteak tomatoes - they just won't taste as good as fresh, peak-season cherry tomatoes.
If the noodles themselves taste bland, it means there wasn't enough salt in the pasta water as they were cooking. This is tough to fix after the pasta is already cooked, but you can make a mental note to salt your pasta water more thoroughly in the future! Learn More: Why and How to Salt Pasta Water.
If the pasta feels bland to you after you've stirred it all together with the sauce, you can add more lemon juice, cilantro, salt, or pepper. Salt is what makes the flavors "pop" in a recipe: Don't be afraid to season your food! It's also important to taste as you go and make adjustments to suit your own palette. If you're following a low-sodium diet or don't wish to add salt to your food, you may want to add extra lemon juice, cilantro (or other herbs) or grilled corn to this dish.
How To Video
More Summer Pasta Recipes
30 Minute One Pot Creamy Corn and Tomato Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A one pot corn and tomato pasta recipe perfect for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- ¾ pound pasta (we used orecchiette)
- ⅓ cup light cream cheese
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 ears sweet corn, grilled, with the kernels removed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Cook pasta in very salty water until al dente.
- Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Drain remaining water from pasta.
- Return drained pasta to the pot, then return the pot to the stove over low heat.
Assemble:
- Add cream cheese to hot pasta; stir until it begins to melt and break apart (it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth yet!)
- Add lemon juice, grilled sweet corn kernels, and cherry tomatoes to pasta. Stir to combine.
- At this point, the cream cheese should have mostly melted, and the pasta will look a little bit dry. Add reserved pasta water a Tablespoon or so at a time, stirring well between each addition until you have a thin, silky sauce (you may not need all of the pasta water here!)
- Taste pasta; and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Stir chopped cilantro into the pasta. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don't forget to salt your pasta water! Seasoning makes all the difference here since there are so few ingredients: If you omit the salt in this recipe you'll end up with a bland dish.
Additions and Substitutions. Top this pasta with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or bacon if you'd like extra protein. Swap the cilantro for basil, or use a mix of your favorite summer herbs (chives, parsley, and dill are all tasty here). Add extra seasonal veggies (peas, asparagus, roasted squash or sweet potato, or roasted cauliflower are all good!)
This is a very light, simple sauce. It was developed to be quick, so it isn't as rich or complex as a mac and cheese or alfredo sauce. For a thicker, creamier sauce: Double the amount of cream cheese, add a splash of heavy cream, half and half, or cauliflower sauce. You can also swap the cream cheese for your favorite alfredo sauce if you prefer a thicker, cheesy sauce. If your sauce looks dry: Add liquid! A splash of heavy cream, parmesan broth or turkey stock, olive oil, or a bit of extra cream cheese will help stretch the sauce a bit more. Keep in mind that this is a very light sauce: It should lightly coat the noodles and veggies, but it won't pool at the bottom of the pot or create a ton of extra liquid.
This recipe is only as good as your ingredients. Use fresh, in-season cherry tomatoes (they're sweeter and more flavorful than out-of-season tomatoes!) and fresh grilled sweet corn for flavors that really shine.
Grilling corn. We like to meal prep some grilled corn during the summer - this is a great place to use prepped or leftover grilled corn! You can also grill your corn fresh while you wait for the pasta water to boil, and slice the kernels off while the pasta is cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 433
- Sugar: 10.1 g
- Sodium: 237.9 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 82.1 g
- Protein: 15.8 g
- Cholesterol: 10.7 mg
daisy parker
Oooh would love to try this recipe… Is there an option to cook it without using any egg due to an intolerance to it?