Creamy Corn-and-Spinach Pasta

Creamy Corn-and-Spinach Pasta
Photo: Johnny Miller
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Servings:
4

Summer brings both hot days and quick-cooking produce like corn and spinach so the logical thing to make for dinner is a quick one-pan pasta like this. Everything cooks in one skillet and a fresh and creamy pasta dinner is on the table in 35 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 large ears corn, shucked

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 12 ounces campanelle, orecchiette, or other short pasta

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 bunch scallions, white and light-green parts thinly sliced (¾ cup), dark-green tops thinly sliced on the bias

  • 5 ounces baby spinach

  • 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1 ounce Pecorino Romano, finely grated (¼ cup), plus more for serving

Directions

  1. Strip corn kernels from cobs (you should have about 2 cups); reserve. Place cobs in a large pot filled with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, remove and discard corncobs, and drain.

  2. Return pot to medium-high heat; swirl in butter. Add scallion whites and light-greens and corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add spinach, both cheeses, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and stir until spinach wilts and cheeses melt.

  3. Return pasta to pot; cook 1 minute more, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Serve, sprinkled with scallion tops, more pecorino, and pepper.

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