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One Pot Lemon Basil, Corn, and Ricotta Pasta!! This simple corn pasta is made in 30 minutes, uses just one pot, and is a great way to use up that end of summer corn. It’s made with creamy ricotta cheese, packed with sweet corn kernels, is a touch garlicky, and finished with fresh basil and lemon. Perfect quick-cooking pasta that’s great for both late summer and early fall nights. Everyone in the house will enjoy this cozy dish, and the leftovers are delicious the following day.
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I hope we’re all feeling refreshed as we enter into this last week of August. Hard to believe Sunday is September 1st, but as we all know so well, time flies, especially in the summertime. I hope you all have plans to soak up this last week of August before September’s craziness sets in. Around here we’re prepping for a big photoshoot…so much to do, so I am a tad stressed. My brother’s wedding, again, so much to do…like make wedding cakes! And most importantly? Little sister Asher’s 11th birthday. I cannot believe she will be 11 on Friday. She’s a mini teenager, way too cute, and has us all wrapped around her finger.
And I need the perfect birthday gift, any thoughts?
As I mentioned yesterday, this is my favorite time of year, and not just because the weather is perfect (not exaggerating, it’s perfect), but also because the produce is perfect.
Our garden is the fullest it’s ever been with fresh herbs and bell peppers ready for picking. And the tomatoes are so close to being just perfectly ripe. In a few days, I’ll be making this pasta with homegrown cherry tomatoes, I can’t wait. As dorky as this may sound, all this fresh produce at my fingertips has me so happy…and cooking like crazy with so many herbs. Herbs all the darn time actually, I could not love it more.
Which is where this one pot, easy as can be, pasta comes into play. It uses plenty of basil, some fresh thyme too, and it’s so delicious. Plus, the honest truth? Starting the week off with pasta, especially a one pot pasta, just makes everything better.
So, here are all the details you need to know.
As you might guess, this is pretty simple and straight forward, but I’m throwing in some major flavor throughout.
Start with the pasta. For this particular recipe I like to boil and drain the pasta first, reserving some of that starchy pasta cooking water to help bring the creamy sauce together later. This is key, so make sure you don’t forget to remove a cup of the pasta water before you drain off your pasta.
While the pasta is boiling, start prepping the corn, chopping the garlic, and grab some herbs. The idea is that by the time the pasta is finished boiling, all the other prep work is complete.
Once the pasta has been drained, start cooking the corn in the very same pot you boiled the pasta in. I like to caramelize the corn in a little olive and butter. The oil helps get the perfect color, while the butter adds flavor. Add in fresh garlic and thyme and immediately your kitchen is going to smell amazing. Garlicky, buttery, and with hints of sweet corn and thyme.
If corn is not your thing, I would recommend using chopped zucchini instead. That will be equally delicious.
Now, add that reserved pasta cooking water, creamy ricotta cheese, and a touch of sweet slightly tangy brie cheese. Yes, that would be both ricotta AND brie cheese. They melt together and create the most luscious, creamy sauce. It’s light but still feels a little indulgent. Using just a little brie really goes a long way here. It provides both creaminess and flavor but doesn’t overpower the ricotta.
Plus, I LOVE the pairing of sweet corn and Brie. There’s something so special about this flavor combination. It’s just good. Trust me.
Next, white wine, just a splash. It’s delicious and adds a nice flavor. But of course, if you and your family don’t drink wine, you can simply use a splash of white vinegar, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. My first choice would be to use the vinegar, then the broth.
Once the sauce comes together, add back the pasta and plenty of garden-fresh basil. Finish with fresh lemon zest and juice to really pull everything together.
And that’s it. Serve this up while it’s warm and every bowl at the table will come back to the sink clean. This really is that good.
It’s an easy, flavorful pasta that could not be better for a busy night. Bonus? The leftovers are great warm or chilled the following day for lunch.
Tip? Add a couple handfuls of baby spinach to boost the greens! Now you basically have pasta salad. So very balanced for a Monday! Enjoy everyone!
If you make this one pot lemon basil, corn, and ricotta pasta be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
One Pot Lemon Basil, Corn, and Ricotta Pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ears corn, kernels removed from the cob
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces triple crème brie, cubed, (fontina or Havarti cheese are great alternatives)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain.2. In the same pot set over medium-high heat, add the butter, corn, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook another 5 minutes or until the corn is golden. Add the reserved pasta cooking water, wine, ricotta, and brie, stirring until the cheeses are melted and a sauce has formed. 3. Stir in the pasta, tossing well to coat. Add the basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and serve immediately topped with additional basil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
If you don’t use wine will it turn out okay? Is there a substitute that would work?
Hey Donna,
You can use chicken broth in place of the wine. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This looks so delicious, I’m looking to make a pasta salad for my daughters bridal shower, do you think this would be good served cold, or room temperature?
Hey Michelle,
Thanks so much! I really prefer to serve this warm. Here are some other options that might work better for you:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/lemon-herb-chicken-avocado-orzo-salad/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/pesto-chicken-corn-and-avocado-bacon-pasta-salad/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/roasted-tomato-basil-and-feta-orzo/
All of these are great served cold or at room temp. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
AMAZING! So easy and so good. I totally blanked and forgot to take the noodles out of the pot so I just proceeded after draining and it still turned out great. Easy, no fail recipe!
Hey Sydney,
Wonderful! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have a lovely week:) xTieghan
This recipe sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Do you have to cook the corn first prior to removing the kernels?
Hey there,
Thanks so much! Nope, the corn will cook in the pasta dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this tonight and the flavors were great but the ricotta didn’t melt into a sauce and instead curdled. I substituted fontina for Brie but otherwise all ingredients were the same. Anything that I should do differently next time?
Hey Emily,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear about your ricotta. Was it at room temp? That really helps to create the sauce. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
Mine curdled after adding the pasta!??
It’s amazing and the whole family loved it❤️❤️❤️
Hey Maria,
Wonderful! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have a lovely week:) xTieghan
What size pan do you use for your one pot recipes?
Hey Kimberly,
I usually use a 7 or 9 quart pot. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this tonight with fresh basil and thyme from our garden! Loved it! (I used chicken broth instead of wine and I do feel like it lacked the proper acidity but I’m positive that was from my swap out and had nothing to do with this delicious recipe. Only mentioning it for anyone who might do the same substitution.)
Amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lisa! xTieghan
Hi there, do you have recommendations for what to serve this with? I plan on making this as a side dish and cannot think of what to serve with it. Thank you so much!
Hey Veronia,
Personally I like to serve this as a main dish with a large salad and crusty bread on the side. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Another hit! i forgot to save the pasta water, but we were okay. It happens, Didn’t use wine, did’t have any.Use all fresh herbs and go heavy on the basil, I also had a heavy hand with the black pepper and it was not overpowering.
Giving it 4 stars because the cheese got a bit tacky, but I wonder if this would of been resolved had I saved pasta water 🙂
Thank you Katie! I love to hear that! xTieghan
Another amazing dish The family loved it
Thank you Marie! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
Made this last night and it was amazing! Definitely adding it into my regular recipe rotation!
Love to hear that! Thank you Ashley! xTieghan
Hi!
Do you think this is something I could make ahead and bring to a friends house and then reheat? If so is there anything you would wait until the last minute to add? Also I love your idea of adding spinach – is that something you would add at the very end?
Thanks so much for the great recipe!!!
If I skip adding the white wine, is there a non alcoholic substitute?
Hey Beth,
You could use chicken or veggie broth in place of the white wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So yummy! I made this last night for dinner and it was so so good and so super easy to make! The only tweak I had to make was using gluten free (Banza) pasta, it was delicious. I cannot wait for the leftovers for lunch!
I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Amber! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan