Go Back

Creamy Corn and Lemon Pasta with Thyme

5 from 10 reader reviews
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 4
Print Recipe Pin On Pinterest Leave Review

Ingredients

  • 8oz (226 grams) shaped pasta of choice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots, small dice (about 1/2 cup diced shallot)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 4 cobs fresh corn, kernels removed (about 4 cups corn kernels total)
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy creamer of choice
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • vegan “parmesan”, for serving

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the salted, starchy pasta water before draining.
  • Place a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and swirl it around. Add the shallots and stir. Keep sautéing and stirring the shallots until they are very soft, about 4 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for an additional minute, being careful to not allow the shallots to brown on the edges.
  • Add the corn kernels to the skillet and stir. Season the corn liberally with salt and pepper. Keep sautéing and stirring until the corn is tender and bright yellow, about 8 minutes.
  • Transfer half of the sautéed corn mixture to an upright blender. Pour in ½ cup of pasta cooking water, non-dairy creamer, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend this mixture on high until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the pureed creamy corn mixture back into the skillet with the remaining corn. Add the drained pasta to the skillet as well, along with some more salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat the pasta. Bring the pasta up to a strong simmer, adding more of the pasta cooking water if it seems to be drying out a bit. Taste the pasta to check for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to your liking.
  • Serve the pasta hot with vegan “parmesan,” extra ground black pepper, and chili flakes. 

Equipment

Recipe Notes

  • There are so few ingredients in this pasta, so the quality of each will really stand out. Fresh, summer corn really is best here.
  • I’ve been using the nutpods unsweetened original creamer for savoury dishes lately and it’s really great! You could also quickly blend ¼ cup of raw cashews with ½ cup of water for some “cream” here.
  • Don’t forget to save at least one cup of pasta cooking water!
This creamy corn pasta recipe also features lemon and thyme. It’s an easy plant-based dinner and vegan pasta recipe with fresh, bold flavours that’ll blow yourmind! Serve with chili flakes and a slice of fresh lemon, and dig in!