Creamy Corn and Zucchini Pasta

5 from 1 vote

This Creamy Corn and Zucchini Pasta is basically summer in a bowl. Sweet fresh corn and tender zucchini get tossed with pasta in a silky Parmesan cream sauce, with lemon and fresh herbs. It’s also ready in 30 minutes, making it an excellent weeknight dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Seasonal

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: People

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $20

Ingredients

2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 Medium zucchini (diced)
1 Shallot (finely diced)
3 Garlic cloves (minced)
4 Ears of corn (kernels removed) - about 4 cups, divided
½ cup Heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp Lemon zest - from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb Short pasta - For example, orecchiette, rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni
Garnish: optional chili flakes, torn basil leaves, freshly cracked black pepper, drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan

Instructions

Build the Base. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the diced zucchini with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Try not to stir it constantly; you want the zucchini to pick up some color. Add the shallot and cook for another 2 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add Some of the Corn. Add about three-quarters of the fresh corn kernels to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender.
Blend the Sauce. Transfer about half of the cooked corn and zucchini mixture to a blender. Add the heavy cream and blend until smooth and creamy.
Finish the Sauce. Pour the blended mixture back into the skillet and add the remaining fresh corn kernels. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken and cook the remaining corn. Turn off the heat. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Cook the Pasta. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Check package instructions for timing. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.
Assemble. Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet and toss until completely coated. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce is silky, glossy and clings nicely to the pasta.
Garnish and Serve. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, torn fresh basil, chopped chives, extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

Notes

Key Ingredient Notes:

Fresh Zucchini: As the name of the recipe suggests, this is a zucchini pasta recipe. I generally use what I have coming out of my garden, which is usually green zucchini, but yellow squash can be substituted.
Shallots: My preference has always been to use shallots instead of onion as it is more delicate. But if you only have onions, you can use those. A medium onion should do the trick.
Fresh Sweet Corn: Corn season is short and very sweet, so I love to use it as much as I can. Fresh corn cut straight from the cob is ideal during summer, but frozen corn can be substituted when needed.
Heavy cream: Gives the blended corn and zucchini sauce its creamy texture. Half-and-half can work for a lighter sauce, though it won't be quite as rich.
Parmesan Cheese: The real stuff only. Make sure you grate Parmigiano Reggiano yourself; it’s much nicer and will meld into the sauce better this way. Don’t use the shelf-stable fake Parmesan. Pecorino Romano can work as a sharper substitute.
Short Pasta: Orecchiette is my top choice because those little cups capture the corn and creamy sauce. Mezzi rigatoni, radiatore or casarecce are also excellent options.

Tips for Success:

Get some color on the zucchini. Don't crowd the zucchini or stir it constantly. Giving it a few minutes of contact with the hot skillet develops more flavor instead of simply steaming it. If you use a large zucchini, I recommend removing the inner seed cavity and discarding it (it’s not very enjoyable to eat).
Don't blend everything. The contrast in textures is what makes this pasta interesting. Blending some of the vegetables creates that luxurious sauce, while keeping some of the corn and zucchini intact gives you little bursts of sweetness and texture in every bite.
Save more pasta water than you think you'll need. Starchy pasta water is key to getting a glossy sauce that actually clings to the pasta, rather than a thick cream sauce sitting at the bottom of the skillet.

Nutrition