Sweet Corn Pesto Pasta
on Aug 26, 2021, Updated Jun 26, 2024
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This sweet corn pesto pasta celebrates the best of summer. Instead of eating corn on the cob, I slice off the kennels and roast them with halved cherry tomatoes. Then I use a cup of the golden roasted corn to make a tasty pesto with parmesan and toasted walnuts. This is an easy must-make vegetarian pasta recipe that’s great for dinner, potlucks and more.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It only has 10 ingredients. From the recipe name, you might think this dish would have a long ingredient list, but it doesn’t. That’s because these flavors work so well together that you get them each bold bite.
This is a great vegetarian summer pasta recipe. Perhaps no produce says the season more than fresh corn and tomatoes. It’s handy that they roast side-by-side on the same sheet pan. Then all you have to do is scoop up a cup of the roasted kernels to puree in the pesto.
You can make the just the corn pesto and freeze it. I am obsessed with pesto no matter the feature ingredient or the season, and I can’t say enough about how tasty this corn version is—you won’t miss basil. Trust me.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Corn: For the freshest corn, look for ears that are tightly wrapped in their husks. This keeps in the moisture, so the kernels are plump and crisp. The silk at the top should be damp too.
- Tomatoes: Ripe cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are best. You can use a variety of colors.
- Pasta: Corkscrew-shaped noodles like cavatappi and fusilli hold on to the pesto. You can also try penne rigate because of its ridges.
- Olive oil: Before I roast the tomatoes and corn, I toss them in a touch of oil. There is also olive oil in the pesto. I prefer the flavor of extra virgin olive oil.
- Parmesan: The pesto has grated Parmesan cheese. Then I finish the pasta with more cheese sprinkled on top.
- Garlic: No pesto is complete without at least one garlic clove.
- Walnuts: Instead of pine nuts, walnuts are my nut of choice for pesto. I love how they taste. They are easier to find and cost much less than pricy pine nuts. Toast your walnuts in a 350-degree F oven for 5-7 minutes before you use them.
- Scallions: For crisp fresh onion flavor, I like sliced scallions. You can substitute with finely chopped red onions.
- Salt & pepper season the corn and tomatoes with before they roast. I also season the pesto when I puree it.
How To Make Sweet Corn Pesto Pasta
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Toss the corn and tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Do this right on the sheet pan and then spread out the veggies. Make sure to flip the tomatoes, so they are cut side up.
2. Roast the corn and tomatoes. Give them 30-35 minutes. You want the corn the be golden yellow and lightly browned at the edges. The tomatoes should be wrinkled but still juicy.
3. Combine the pesto ingredients in a food processor. That includes a cup of roasted corn kernels, Parmesan, toasted walnuts, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Puree the pesto. You want everything to be finely chopped and well combined, but you might still see some corn kernels.
5. Make the pasta. Simmer it in salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Then drain it in a colander and transfer the noodles to a large bowl.
6. Stir the pesto into the pasta.
7. Fold the remaining roasted corn and tomatoes and scallions into the pasta. Garnish with more grated Parmesan when you serve it.
Variation: Only Make The Corn Pesto
As mentioned, this pesto freezable, so you can make just the pesto and not the rest of the pasta. Slice the kernels off 1 ear of corn and toss them with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Check them when they have been roasting for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees F. With fewer veggies on the sheet pan, they will likely cook faster. Then proceed to make the pesto as the recipe is written.
You can refrigerate only the pesto for 1 week and freeze it up to 1 month in an airtight container. Let it thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Then reheat it in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave.
Serving
I love a salad with summer pasta recipes. You can keep it simple with an arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. Or try a classic house salad or an Italian chopped salad.
Leftovers & Storage
You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently, or use the microwave. The pasta will lose some of its al dente texture, but it will still taste great.
I also enjoy leftovers cold, treating them like a pasta salad. I stir them with chopped romaine or baby arugula or spinach for greens. This is a great way to stretch a smaller amount into a meal.
Recipe Tips
Keep an eye on the corn and tomatoes as they roast. That doesn’t mean you should open the oven door all the time. Check on them about halfway through roasting. You might want to rotate the pan. Ovens have hot spots. It’s ok if some corn kernels get more brown and crispy than others.
You don’t need parchment paper unless you aren’t going to flip the tomatoes, so they are cut side up. This step doesn’t take much time, but if you want to toss everything in oil, salt and pepper and pop it in the oven, please line the pan. I find that when these juicy cut sides touch the metal directly they tend to stick.
Don’t overcook the pasta. It should turn out al dente with just a slight bit of chewiness.
This recipe works best with short pasta shapes. Corn pesto is thicker in consistency than traditional basil pesto. That’s why I typically don’t toss it with spaghetti or other long noodles.
Try These Other Corn Recipes
10 Best Corn Recipes
Sheet Pan Baked Feta with Vegetables
Roasted Red Potato Salad with Corn
Tomato Corn Orecchiette
Watermelon Corn Cucumber Salad
Grilled Corn Couscous
Zucchini Corn Fritters
Grilled Corn and Avocado with Cilantro Pesto
Sweet Corn Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn, kernels sliced off
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta or fusilli
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a sheet pan toss the corn kernels and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Spread the corn and tomatoes across the pan arranging the tomatoes, so they are cut side up.
- Roast the corn and tomatoes for 30-35 minutes until the corn is lightly browned and crisp and the tomatoes are wrinkled but still juicy in the middle.
- For the pesto, combine 1 cup roasted corn kernels, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, garlic, parmesan and walnuts in a food processor. Puree the ingredients until the pesto is fully combined. (You might see a few corn kernels).
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander and transfer it to a large bowl.
- Stir the pesto into the pasta.
- Fold in the remaining roasted corn, tomatoes and scallions.
- Divide the pasta into serving dishes and top with additional Parmesan as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My inner kid speaking here, but I LOVE fun-shaped pasta. It makes the whole dish taste better, in my opinion 🙂
I picked wagon wheel pasta with my toddler in mind!
This looks amazing – can just taste summer in this recipe!