Charred Corn & Basil Pasta | Vegan

GFGluten Free

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This Charred Corn & Basil Pasta is a creamy, alfredo-esque pasta dish that celebrates the delicious flavors of sweet summer corn! Topped with fresh basil for a bright, herby finish. Gluten-Free. 

This Charred Corn & Basil Pasta is the perfect dose of comfy during the warm summer months! It’s super creamy and hearty, but with the fresh summer flavors of sweet corn and bright, peppery basil. The sweetness of seared corn complemented by the herby flavor of basil is a fresh flavor combo that can’t be beat! 

Charred Corn and Basil pasta in small white bowl with a gold fork on a white marble background

INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION

Ingredients for Charred Corn Pasta arranged on marble background. Clockwise text labels read pasta, cashew milk, garlic, basil, salt & pepper, green onions, corn, and vegan butter

Trust me when I say that searing the corn before blending it into the sauce is a step that’s TOTALLY worth it. It brings out entirely new flavors in the corn (+ garlic & onions) and really takes things from home-cooking to restaurant-level! 😉 You can make this recipe using frozen corn in a pinch, but I recommend using fresh ears of corn for maximum flavor!

For our pasta sauce, we’ll achieve the ultimate alfredo-inspired creaminess by using a bit of cashew milk (or oat or coconut milk!) and nutritional yeast. You can leave out the nutritional yeast if you’d like, but I think it adds a nice touch of cheesy flavor! The starchy content of the pasta adds to the creamy texture of the sauce, making it relatively low in fat for a rich, buttery cream sauce.

HOW TO MAKE CHARRED CORN & BASIL PASTA

Side-by-side photos of seared corn in a skillet next to the blended corn sauce in a blender

Sweet, herby, and ready in just half an hour, this Charred Corn & Basil Pasta is about to be your new favorite fuss-free dinner! Plus, it’s completely customizable. It tastes delicious starring the sweet corn alone, but would also be amazing with any extra vegetables (I love it with blistered tomatoes!). Simply add your favorite veggies into step #1 and sear them along with the corn, garlic, and onions. 😊 

  1. Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the corn kernels until browned. Add the garlic towards the end, then remove from the heat. 
  2. Boil a pot of water, add the pasta, cook until al dente, then drain (but don’t rinse). Set aside
  3. In the meantime, add half of the corn mixture, cashew milk, arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper to a blender and blend into a smooth sauce. Return the sauce to the sauté pan to simmer, then add the pasta and remaining corn mixture, and cook until the sauce has thickened. 
  4. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then divide into serving bowls, top with fresh basil, and enjoy

Large sauté pan of charred corn and basil pasta with a wooden spoon, topped with freshly torn basil

This Charred Corn & Basil Pasta is the perfect date night dish for warm summer nights! It pairs nicely with toasted garlic bread or a side salad with a simple vinaigrette dressing. 

The flavors are at their peak when served fresh, but if you want to keep any leftovers they’ll store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to prep ahead of time to make this easy recipe even more fuss-free, you can pre-make the sauce and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days before making the dish!

Charred Corn and Basil Pasat in a small white bowl with a gold fork resting in the bowl.

If you’re looking for more warm-weather pasta recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Lemon Ricotta Pasta, this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, and this Vegan Taco Pasta Salad!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 😊

 

Print

Charred Corn & Basil Pasta

This Charred Corn & Basil Pasta is a creamy, alfredo-esque pasta dish that celebrates the delicious flavors of sweet summer corn! Topped with fresh basil for a bright, herby finish. Gluten-Free.

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 Minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 3 to 4 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or sub oil)
  • 2 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 2 1/2 cups of 330g)
  • 23 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 12 ounces (340 g) dry pasta (gluten-free or regular)
  • 1 1/2 cups cashew milk (or sub oat or coconut milk)
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly torn basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Sear the Corn: melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the corn kernels and sauté for 7-9 minutes, stirring only every 2 minutes or so to brown the kernels. Add the garlic and green onion to the pan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  2. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add in the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse; set aside.
  3. Make the Sauce: In the meantime, add half of the cooked corn mixture to a high-speed blender along with the cashew milk, arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. Return the sauce to the sauté pan over medium heat and stir occasionally. Once simmering, add the pasta and the remaining corn. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked to your liking. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste, if necessary.
  4. Serve: divide the pasta into serving bowls, then top with fresh basil. Serve warm; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Keywords: corn pasta, corn alfredo, vegan corn pasta

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About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. Great recipe. I used frozen corn to make it easy and it was perfect. I also used less garlic because I have little kids.

  2. Yum! The three small ears of corn from my CSA only yielded 1-1/4 cups, so I halved the recipe. That’s a shame, since we won’t have leftovers. I did substitute cornstarch for the arrowroot. A great weeknight meal!

    1. Glad you had a great meal, Eileen! Thank you for the feedback. Maybe double for leftovers next time you make it? 😉