This creamy grilled corn pasta is pure summer! With fresh grilled corn on the cob, basil, green onions and feta cheese, all in a simple creamy sauce.

closeup of a plate of creamy grilled corn pasta

Quick and easy pasta dishes like this one are a summertime staple at our house. They’re fast to throw together with whatever seasonal veggies we have, require minimal dishes, and everyone loves them!

We especially love this creamy fresh corn pasta when corn on the cob is in season and plentiful. It’s sweet and crisp, and just hits different than corn you find the rest of the year. This meal is satisfying and filling, but also very light and fresh!

Table of Contents

plate with creamy grilled corn pasta

What’s special about this recipe

You’ll find plenty of creamy corn pasta recipes on the internet, so here’s what’s different about this one, and why you should try it:

  • It starts with grilled corn, which just adds so much flavor, and truly embraces peak summertime cooking!
  • I use feta cheese instead of other more classic options like parmesan cheese, and I love its sharp salty punch of flavor.
  • Many similar recipes blend up some of the corn to create a creamy sauce, without using any actual cream, which is awesome. However, that’s just too much work for me! I use only 1/4 cup of heavy cream and reserved pasta water to make a rich flavorful sauce.
  • Besides the work of grilling the corn, everything else comes together in just one pot!
creamy grilled corn pasta ingredients measured out with labels

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Fresh corn on the cob: Get it local when it’s in season if you can! But you can also make this with out-of-season corn from the supermarket.
  • Short pasta: Like penne, mini shells, rigatoni, farfalle, fusilli, etc.
  • Feta cheese: Feel free to substitute for your favorite cheese, or what you have on hand.
  • Fresh basil: A must, don’t skip!
  • Green onions/scallions: More light and summery than cooked onions or shallots.
  • Olive oil
  • Heavy cream: Just a small amount to create a flavorful sauce without being too heavy.
  • Salt and pepper

How to make creamy grilled corn pasta

  1. Grill the corn. Use an outside grill, or even a grill pan on the stove. You want nice char marks for maximum flavor.grilling ears of corn
  2. Cut off the corn kernels. There’s lots of ways to do this! I prefer to stand the ears up small end-down inside of a shallow bowl to catch the kernels during slicing (so they don’t scatter all over the counter).
  3. Boil pasta. Add pasta to a pot and cover with a few inches of cold water. Set over the stove on high and bring to a boil, then cook according to package instructions for time. (This method actually requires less time and water!)pasta cooking in a pot filled with water
  4. Have everything ready to go. Make sure everything is chopped, measured and ready so you can work quickly once pasta is done.
  5. Toss everything together. Drain pasta (reserving some of the pasta water!) and immediately return it to the pot along with the olive oil, heavy cream, and salt and pepper. Add pasta water a little at a time until you have a nice creamy sauce. It’ll thicken as it cools slightly so add a bit more than you think. Then, toss in corn, basil, green onions and feta cheese.mixing pasta with grilled corn, feta, green onions and basil
  6. Enjoy! Garnish with more basil and serve immediately.

Recipe tips and FAQs

  • How to store and reheat: Leftovers should always be stored in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove over medium low heat, adding a tablespoon of water or cream to revive the creamy sauce.
  • Substitutions and variations: This summer corn pasta recipe is extremely adaptable! Feel free to add other fresh vegetables like tomatoes, or even other grilled veggies like zucchini and peppers. Add red pepper flakes if you want a touch of heat.
  • Add protein: If you want, add grilled chicken, shrimp, steak or pork tenderloin.

More corn recipes

sliced zucchini corn pizza with hot honey bottle in the background
Zucchini Corn Pizza
This fresh corn, tomatoes, pesto and mozzarella salad is perfect for summer!
Fresh Corn Caprese Pasta Salad
This southwest chicken skillet with zucchini, bell peppers, and corn is a delicious and healthy summer meal!
Southwest Chicken Skillet with Zucchini & Corn

Get the recipe

closeup of a plate of creamy grilled corn pasta
5 from 1 review

Creamy Grilled Corn Pasta

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
This creamy grilled corn pasta is pure summer! With fresh grilled corn on the cob, basil, green onions and feta cheese, all in a simple creamy sauce. It's best when corn is in-season, but you can also make this with out-of-season corn from the supermarket.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb short pasta , such as penne, rigatoni or fusilli
  • 4-5 ears of corn on the cob , left whole
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup Reserved pasta cooking water
  • 2 green onions/scallions , chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt , to taste, plus more for cooking the pasta
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper , to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill to medium high heat. Brush corn with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Grill corn about 2 minutes on each side, until grill marks are visible. Use a sharp knife to remove corn kernels from the cob (I like to stand the ears up inside a bowl to catch the kernels as I slice).
  • Add pasta to a large pot and cover with a few inches of cold water, then add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook pasta until al dente (look at package instructions for time recommendations).
  • While the pasta is cooking, make sure you have everything chopped and ready to go so you can work quickly to put it all together.
  • Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and immediately add remaining olive oil and heavy cream. Add pasta water a little at a time to make a creamy sauce (the sauce will thicken as it cools so add a little more than you think you need).
  • Add corn kernels, green onions, basil, feta cheese and salt and pepper. Toss well and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Calories: 480kcal, Carbohydrates: 69g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 353mg, Potassium: 363mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 404IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

This recipe was originally published July 2015. Improvements have been made to the recipe instructions so it’s now better than ever! And it still remains one of our staple summertime dinners.