Creamy Sweet Corn & Brown Butter Ricotta Pasta

Oh, how I love you, sweet corn season. Maybe it’s the perfect little bites of grilled corn added to any and all summer recipes, or maybe it’s watching my boys savor every messy bite of corn on the cob.

Okay, it’s definitely both.

I had been dreaming up a new, unique way to use up sweet corn last summer and remembered this simple yet incredibly delicious pasta recipe I made last winter with rich brown butter and acorn squash as the sauce. Why not turn sauteéd corn into an equally as luscious sauce?

That’s how this brown butter corn pasta came to life. I love that this wonderful meal only requires a few ingredients, but the result is the perfect combo of sweet, savory, creamy and fresh. You’ll blend sweet corn right in with some ricotta to make the sauce, and then mix in the rest of those delicious kernels. Long story short, this might just be your new fav way to use up summer corn, so load up at the farmer’s market or grocery store and get to it!

Welcome to the AK Summer Series

For the rest of the summer, we’ll be dedicating each week to select summer produce! Week 2 we’re celebrating all things CORN, starting with this wonderful pasta dish. Stay tuned on the blog and on Instagram for each week’s produce highlight, fun videos, and more.

Ingredients in this brown butter corn pasta

One of the best parts about this absolutely delicious corn ricotta pasta is that it’s made with just a handful of ingredients. While it seems so simple, the flavor combo in this dish is out-of-this-world good. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Butter: we’re browning that butter, baby! You’ll mix brown butter right into the pasta, and you’ll need a bit to sauté your corn down.
• Corn: there’s nothing better this time of year than fresh sweet corn. You’ll actually use the corn kernels in the sauce and sprinkled throughout the pasta dish.
• Ricotta: the rest of the sauce is made with creamy ricotta cheese. YUM.
• Pasta: I love using pretty tagliatelle pasta, but feel free to use your favorite shape like fettuccine, linguine, and more.
• To season: we’re simply seasoning this brown butter corn pasta with salt and pepper!
• To garnish: add fresh basil and green onion to give the pasta the perfect amount of freshness.

Can I make it vegan or gluten free?

• To make vegan: I haven’t tested this pasta dish with a vegan ricotta substitute, so I’m not sure how the flavor would turn out. Let me know if you try it! You’ll also need to use a vegan buttery stick, and please note that you cannot brown vegan butter. You’ll just melt it before adding it to the pasta.
• To make gluten free: simply use your favorite gluten free pasta shape like this one.

How to brown butter

Why add regular butter when you can add rich, nutty, absolutely delicious brown butter? The brown butter adds incredible flavor to this corn ricotta pasta recipe. Get all of my tips and tricks for browning butter in this post — it’s amazing in both sweet and savory recipes!

Brown butter and corn ricotta pasta in 5 steps

1. Brown your butter. Start by browning your butter until it reaches a lovely amber color, then set it aside to cool.
2. Cook your pasta & corn. Boil the water for your pasta, then sauté your corn kernels in some butter or olive oil, salt & pepper. While the corn is cooking, cook your pasta and reserve some pasta water before you drain it.
3. Make the sauce. Add half of the sauteéd corn, ricotta, salt, pepper & the reserved pasta water to a blender and blend until nice and creamy.
4. Add the butter & sauce. Stir the brown butter into the cooked pasta, then toss with the corn and ricotta mixture.
5. Garnish & serve. Finish with the extra corn, fresh basil, green onion, salt & pepper and serve! Feel free to add some red pepper flakes for a little heat, too. YUM.

Delicious veggie add-ins

When Rebecca, Abra and I tested (and fell in love with) this corn and brown butter pasta, we couldn’t stop dreaming up even more summer veggies to add to it. Feel free to try adding:

• Fresh or burst cherry tomatoes
• Grilled asparagus or zucchini (learn how to grill veggies here!)
• Sweet peas
• Spinach or kale

The options are truly endless!

Add a boost of protein

This brown butter & corn pasta already packs about 15g of protein per serving from the pasta and ricotta, but these protein add-ins would also be delicious:

• A can of chickpeas (to keep it vegetarian)
• Grilled chicken
• Grilled shrimp
• Crispy bacon
• Ground pork or turkey sausage, or your favorite sliced chicken sausage

How to store this corn ricotta pasta

Store any leftover brown butter corn ricotta pasta in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To reheat simply do so in a microwave safe dish or on the stovetop with a splash of water.

More delicious ways to use sweet corn

Get all of our recipes using corn here!

I hope you love this creamy sweet corn and brown butter pasta! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo! 

Creamy Sweet Corn & Brown Butter Ricotta Pasta

4.91 from 21 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

ServesServes 4 servings

Creamy sweet corn and brown butter ricotta pasta made with 4 core ingredients and fresh garnishes. The luscious sauce in this summery pasta dish is made right in the blender with brown butter, ricotta, and corn! Enjoy this wonderful, comforting dinner as is, or customize it with your fav seasonal veggies and proteins.

Ingredients

• For the brown butter:
• 1/4 cup salted butter
• For the corn:
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 3 cups fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob (3-4 ears of corn should yield roughly 3 cups)
• Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
• For the ricotta:
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For the pasta:
• 10 oz tagliatelle pasta (or sub fettuccine or linguine or any type of pasta you want!)
• 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
• To garnish:
• 1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions

Instructions

• First, brown your butter: add butter to a medium saucepan or skillet and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to melt, crackle, and then eventually foam. Make sure you whisk constantly during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan, this usually happens once it foams. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a medium bowl to prevent burning, making sure you scrape all the yummy brown bits from the pan with a rubber spatula; this is where the flavor is! Set aside to cool.

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta, then start cooking your corn.

• Place a skillet over medium high heat and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter. Once oil is hot or butter is melted, add in the corn, season with salt and pepper, and saute for approximately 10 minutes; stirring every so often until corn begins to caramelize and turn slightly golden in places. Add half of the sauteed corn to a blender with the ½ cup of ricotta and ½ teaspoon salt and set aside; do not blend yet. Reserve the remaining half of corn for stirring into the pasta.

• While the corn is cooking, you can cook your pasta according to the directions on the package. Before draining pasta and adding back to the pan, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and add to the corn/ricotta mixture, then blend the mixture until mostly smooth.

• Finally, add brown butter to the cooked pasta and stir to coat, then toss in the blended corn/ricotta mixture, extra corn, basil and green onion. Add freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. If you like a little heat, i think red pepper flakes would be fabulous. Serves 4-6.

Recipe Notes

To make gluten free: simply use your favorite gluten free pasta.
See the full post for tips, tricks & easy ways to customize your pasta with extra veggies or protein!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 4)Calories: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 75.8gProtein: 15.5gFat: 20.2gSaturated Fat: 11.7gFiber: 4.6gSugar: 8.8g