Oh, hi, I am ready for summer now. What did I miss?
Because the first half of this summer was so busy — a manuscript due, a redesign set off into the world, a birthday, and a zillion other bits of happy work/life chaos — I’m in this funny position of looking up for the first time mid-July and realizing that no mysterious person has arrived while I was buried in winter recipe testing and font fine-tunings and filled my freezer with popsicles, put a bowl of heirloom tomatoes on the counter, ready for their caprese closeup [realistically, this doesn’t happen even if I had been paying attention, but let me enjoy this rose-colored Pinterest fantasy just the same] and beach? Hadn’t seen it since May. I have about seven weeks left to catch up, except I know at least five of those will be buried under recipe testing and book edits, which basically means it’s now or never to do all the summer things I haven’t yet.
Beach? Check. Swimming? Check. Grilling? Check, check, check. Scheduled 7-hour flight with 4 adults and 5 children to a faraway beach town in the name of vacation? I’m scared but: check! Do everything I can with sweet summer corn while it lasts? Let’s get to work!
We had some leftover corn on the cob after Father’s Day and I shaved it off the cob and sautéed it in the renderings left behind from crispy bits of bacon (also tangentially related to Father’s Day), tossed the two with al dente pasta and a bit of cooking water with parmesan, chives and basil and it was really lovely and very summery and, because this is 2016, took a picture of it and posted it on Instagram and promised to share the recipe later and three weeks later, here we are! I am sure everyone was at the edge of their seat. Let my ridiculousness not hold you up: this should be a new summer staple, so easy, happy, kid-friendly and welcoming of all matter of laziness (you can decide to make this 20 or so minutes before you eat it) and adaptations (bacon not your thing? add some diced tomatoes at the end).
Redesign: Thank you for all of your feedback. I’m sorry we’ve had some glitches (notably, an email newsletter that went out blank save some tacky ads, obviously, I hope, a mistake I hope we’ve now fixed). Do know that I am going through your concerns one by one and making adjustments, yes, including that ad on top (soon). In the meanwhile, there’s a search bar back in the sidebar, seasonal links are back there, the In Season tab should be working now too, and the comment form is back up at the top so you don’t have to scroll through. Soon, soon, we will have everything right and well again. In the meanwhile, happy cooking!
One year ago: Very Blueberry Scones and Look What Else We Baked!
Two years ago: Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches and Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles
Three years ago: Grilled Bacon Salad with Arugula and Balsamic and One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes
Four years ago: Bacon Corn Hash and Peach Pie
Five years ago: Flatbreads with Honey Thyme and Sea Salt and Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones
Six years ago: Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint and Thai-Style Chicken Legs
Seven years ago: Watermelon Lemonade, Light Brioche Burger Buns, Blueberry Boy Bait and Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza
Eight years ago: Zucchini Strand Spaghetti, Project Wedding Cake: Mango Curd and Swiss Buttercream
Nine years ago: Quick Potato Pirogi, Ratatouille’s Ratatouille, Red Bean Chili and Double-Layer Chocolate Cake
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Butterscotch Pudding and Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake
1.5 Years Ago: Chicken Pho and Pear and Hazelnut Muffins
2.5 Years Ago: Gnocchi in Tomato Broth
3.5 Years Ago: Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas and Ethereally Smooth Hummus
4.5 Years Ago: Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame and Apple Sharlotka
Corn, Bacon and Parmesan Pasta
- 8 ounces dried pasta (I used spirals here and radiatore in the past)
- 1/4 pound bacon, ideally thick-cut, diced
- 2 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
- Fistful of fresh basil and chives, chopped
If you’re hoping to pull this all off in one pan, cook your pasta in a large deep saute pan* until al dente, or 1 to 2 minutes before it is done. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water and drain. Wipe pan dry if using for the next steps, otherwise, you can get started in a large frying pan.
Scatter bacon in pan over medium-high heat, no need to heat the pan first. Cook, stirring, until evenly browned and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon bits to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from pan (save for other fun stuff, like frying eggs) and add corn to it. Season corn with salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add pasta and a couple splashes of the cooking water and half the parmesan and toss, toss, toss the pasta with the corn, seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed and adding more cooking water if it doesn’t feel loose enough. Add scallions and stir to warm. Stir in bacon and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and fresh herbs. Dig in.
* this is my go-to for a lot of things these days because it is both shallow saucepan with a lid and and a big deep frying pan
If I hadn’t just used up all my corn for my own cooking project, I’d be making this immediately! Perfect summer pasta, it looks like.
So glad you finally made it to summer! This looks delicious. I, too, try to make use of all of the corn while it’s perfect. Thanks for this recipe!
I love the redo. It’s clean and fresh and simple!
This looks like a keeper also, can ‘t wait to try it since I’m also in how many ways can I use corn mode!
So glad you finally made it to summer! This looks delicious. I, too, try to make use of all of the corn while it’s perfect. Thanks for this recipe!
I have several ears of corn sitting in the fridge and wondering what I should do with it. Perfect timing – making this for dinner tonight! Thanks, Deb!
Looks delicious! You might also enjoy Deborah Madison’s corn/tomato/scallion/cilantro take on a summer corn pasta dish in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. My husband wanted me to add bacon to that, so I will mash it up with your recipe next time!
Yum yum yum! I testing out going vegan (or maybe just vegetarian – eggs are just so versatile and cheap!), so skipping the parmesan and adding tomatoes at the end sounds like a pure win. Maybe even a bit of basil and/or mint? Thanks for the lovely summer recipe.
ps. I have the same pan and between that and the cast iron I starting to think you don’t need another.
I completely agree. Maybe one Dutch oven too.
So the corn is not cooked when I cut it off the cob? Just checking, because above you said you had leftover corn on the cob (assumed it was cooked), but it appears the corn is cooked in the bacon fat (yum). I’m totally making this tonight.
It is not. I’d first made it with leftover corn. If you have that, cut it off the cob and you can skip the 1 to 2 minutes of cooking to soften it, and just warm it up in the bacon fat before adding the pasta back. Hope that clarifies.
Update: we loved it! (including baby) This is now on regular rotation :) Can summer produce last forever?
just an idea, please ignore
Love how the pasta looks with the corn. Want to try this soon!
I envy your pasta shapes. We can only get farfalle, penne, and rotini in most of our local stores. I’d like to include some fun shapes in my next Amazon order. Could you tell me some names to search for? The word ‘spiral’ isn’t doing it.
I just added links to the pastas I mentioned; I buy them from Setaro. Not sure if they sell online, but someone must. (The prices seem high until you realize most come in 2-pound bags).
Fusilli or spirelli might get you somewhere.
Check out: http://www.setaro.it/en/pasta_corta_formati_speciali.html
This is my favorite brand of pasta, and Deb’s, too, I think?
I have some Capricci from my last trip to NYC, just begging to be used in this recipe!
Re: the ‘reply’ to a comment on the ‘question’ page, only showing up under ‘all comments’. It’s happening to me, too. I replied under the ‘question’ thread, not realizing it had already been answered. Oops.
This sounds delicious! I have leftover grilled corn from a BBQ, could I use that in this recipe?
Yes, see my advice here. You just need to warm it up at the step when you add the corn, not cook it.
Deb, this recipe looks great, but that link, the “40 things everyone but you”, is just too much. So spot on!!!. I truly, truly love it. And now I don’t feel so bad that I don’t have condensation free iced tea glasses and bangles ;-) Thank you for making my day :-)
Yum. Sometimes life happens and things get away from us, but I hope that you can cram all the magic of summer into these last few weeks- and I’m very grateful that you posted this recipe.
The redesign is so lovely! Clean, easy to read, just lovely. Congrats on what must have been an enormous amount of work turning out so great!
Aw, since you changed your site layout, the rss feed is no longer a full feed. (Or, it’s shorter than it was before – I think it was truncated before, but it at least showed a few pictures before making me click through.)
Any chance you could change that back?
Yes, just realized that too. We’re sorting through this, basically just about 8 things (email, RSS, newsletter, and more) tied to one feature (post breaks) and trying to figure out what changed. Thanks for letting me know.
And, thanks to your always beautiful photos, I’m now nixing my after work workout in favor of going to the grocery store to buy spiral pasta. There’s only so much time in the day, so priorities must be established, right?
It always starts with the pasta shape for me, TBH. ;)
Hi Deb: about the answers to questions not showing up on the question page, just the All Comments page. I just tried replying to the first question on this posts Question page, and marked I Have A Question and it showed up under that question on both pages. It doesn’t indicate that it is a reply and isn’t a grey box but maybe those are just for you? Anyway, maybe a step towards fixing that “problem”. Really enjoying the new site so far…
oops
Thanks for letting me know. They’re working on a fix for this right now.
Hi-love the redo. Thought I’d miss your signature dark look, but this is so easy to read. No complaints! And your children are beautiful! Sorry I have nothing intelligent to add about this recipe. But best be honest.
That 40 Things list is awesome, and perfect for a facebook/instagram/whateverelseiscoolnow existence. Thanks for posting; it made my day as I get ready to spend the next few weeks packing, moving, and unpacking.
Jealous, I’m so jealous. No good corn on the cob here. This sounds so wonderful. WAHHH.
I might do it with canned corn but NOT THE SAME.
I love how the corn kernels look so similar to the noodles! You know that satisfies me. I’m wondering where the blurb on your favorite places to eat in NYC went? I’m sure you feel it’s outdated, but there was one on there I’m trying to remember, so maybe an old link? Congrats on all the things! xo
I will put it back! Perhaps in the sidebar again… In the interim, this is it (and it has some broken images, ugh): https://smittenkitchen.com/debs-new-york/
Thanks Deb!!
Just made this ahead for dinner tonight, looks delicious! Would you rewarm it or serve it cold?
For this, I think warm, but I’m not crazy about cold corn.
I am SO PUMPED to make this — I currently have bacon frozen in my freezer, leftover asiago/romano cheese languishing in the fridge waiting to be used up (I’ll use in place of the parmesan), and an overabundance of scallions! I’ll grab some corn and whip this up. Can’t wait! Thanks as always!
cheers for the return of the search bar.
thank you!
Just yesterday I was wondering if there was an easy way to turn your tomato and corn pie recipe into an easy meatless Monday dinner (remodeling a kitchen is not conducive to rolling out pastry crust – boiling pasta is much more our speed at the moment), and here it is. Looks amazing. I’ll be swapping out the bacon for fresh tomatoes and making this next week.
That Pinterst link is fabulous. Hilarious. Another reason we love you even if your new blog is in need of fine tuning. We have faith that you will get it at some point. Welcome to summer, and a perfect day it is to join us here in the NY metro area.
I wonder how this would be cold with a little olive oil/vinegar of your choice and the bacon tossed in at the last minute….
Pasta, bacon, and corn- it’s like the perfect trifecta of my favorite foods all in one dish! I can’t want to try it out :D
Looks lovely! Love how simple it is. Sometimes those are the best kind of recipes :)
You might want to check out Melissa Clarks’s corn pasta that was featured in the NYT last weekend. Similar to yours in that it is adaptable, but the corn is puréed into a silky sauce. It was fabulous! I think I would add bacon next time, like you did here.
Where are pies in your index? Thank you.
Right under Sweets. See here: https://smittenkitchen.com/recipes/sweets/tarts-pies/?format=list
I don’t like new things. I don’t like things to change. I don’t want it better. I want it to stay the same. Everything was fine the way it was.
This is a little bit nicer. I’ll give it a try. I wasn’t going to stop using a Correcting Selectric either but who needs carbon paper and white fingernail polish?
As long as it’s still you I’ll stick it out. And baby pictures. Ok. I give up. I’m in. R
Very easy and so delicious! I used whatever twirly pasta and Romano were in the house, plus the suggested dollop of mascarpone (yum!). Very rich, but with the summery sweet of corn and basil. The only thing I added past the recipe was a shake of red pepper flakes.
Huh. This recipe exactly mirrors the remaining contents of my pre-payday fridge, AND sounds delicious. DINNER!
Corn & bacon are the sweet and salty combo of the savory world. So delicious! I think I’ll try this recipe with some roasted tomatoes added for some acidity. Thanks for the idea!
Sounds tasty but way too many carbs. I suspect that this would be tasty without the pasta.
Two things: this is a delicious sounding variant on spaghetti Carabonara, which I learned to make in Italy. The one ingredient that would make it out of sight delicious is chopped parsley, which most recipes don’t know about.
I’ll try your recipe with the corn soon. yum!
Also, it is much easier to snip bacon with a scissor than to slice it, since bacon is so slippery with fat. Try it, Deb, you’ll see.
It took me a moment to find the print recipe button. I miss the SK logo at the top of the printed recipe–please put back! Otherwise, I like the redesign.
We’re on it! And thank you — you might be the only one some days. ;)
I love the flavor bacon adds, but my kids just went vegetarian and my husband is kosher. Any suggestions for replacing the bacon?
Yes, you could skip the bacon and stir in some diced cherry tomatoes with the scallions at the very end, just enough to warm them.
I make a version of this for my kids on nights when my husband works late! I use frozen peas instead of corn because we always have them in the freezer.
Just a couple of things: The hyperlink “popsicles” in the email doesn’t work. I get the dreaded “page not found” error. Also, I couldn’t get to the recipe online from the email. I had to click on the peaches and cream bunny cake link and then work from there to get here. Other than that, I’m waiting patiently (not really) for the next Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Your first is one of my all time favorite cookbooks ever. I do mean EVER. Thank you for all that you do to get me cooking and eating real, good, homemade food. You’re the absolute best.
Thank you — popsicle link now fixed. My email way fine this morning and I thought I’d had the settings fixed. I’m sorry for the trouble. And thank you. I do hope the second book is worth the wait.
I made this last night – yum! Like another, I added a some red pepper flakes. Also in place of the mascarpone, stirred in a bit of soft goat cheese. AND had a small bowl for my breakfast with a few cherry tomatoes added, so can attest that this is good cold as well.
I live on 8 acres in NW Montana, i.e. little (easterners and southerners would say “no” humidity), but in “all’s relative” world, it is in the 80’s which feels hot here. I no longer have an outdoor grill – just do not enjoy that. A longish story to say that I jumped on the electric pressure cooker bandwagon this past winter and I am really enjoying it this summer as I can cook so many things without adding heat to the kitchen.
I thought maybe pasta would turn to mush but it doesn’t. And the corn slips out of husk and silks easily.
Pasta = 1 part pasta, 2 parts salty water then 4-6 minutes quick release
Corn = 1 cup water for each whole cob in husk, 2 minutes quick release
Haha. I lived in Billings for 4 years but I’m originally from the east coast and you’re right about the humidity. The locals would be complaining about how humid it was and I was usually thinking “what humidity?” But the temperatures were relatively the same as PA’s so that was nice. I made it out to Whitefish once although not up to Glacier. Gorgeous out that way. You live in a beautiful area.
An update: I made this last night. I sautéed the scallions with the corn (my preference). This was very tasty and easy… I would probably omit the ladle of cooking water next time, but that’s just my preference. I also used vegetable pasta instead of white. Definitely will repeat. Thanks, Deb!
Hey Deb,
I like your new site and the corn pasta is on my dinner schedule for tonight, because whats not to love about corn, bacon and parmesan, right?
But I wanted to print some of your old recipes (like the blue sky bran muffins), but I miss the print button! Which is an essential tool for me ;). I’m sure it’s not intended so I just wanted to let you know!
Hi Lena — Is it not showing up? It’s right below the recipe (see here), and in the recipe field on some like this? (Btw, there wasn’t a print button on the old site, just the word “print” — not to split hairs. I just want to make sure we’re talking about the same feature.)
The print button is on the right side just under the recipe title.
Oops, couldn’t see your reply in the question section. Only after I commented I was able to see it.
Please bring back the original format for printing a recipe. It used to come in as a ‘print preview’…we could resize the text (smaller-so it did not print on 2 pages or larger)…& remove the automatic header and footer. Now it goes straight to the printer…the ‘print preview’ shows the recipe and your notes skewed to the left of the page and cannot be altered. I have resorted to copying-pasting into a word document and then formatting it (way too much time and effort) or just not printing the recipe at all. Thanks for listening!
This doesn’t sound like it’s working correctly. There is a print template that’s just the recipe and it definitely needs fine-tuning but there shouldn’t be formatting issues or notes. If you get a sec and want to send me an example of what you’re getting (such as a screen shot), I’m at deb@smittenkitchen.com
On the email update, the three bullet list is at the top. Today, for example, the first two bullets (corn bacon and parmesan pasta & More Recent Articles) are not active links.
The print bullet within the recipe (under servings and time) also is not active.
I’m on a Mac computer. Perhaps that makes a difference. It would be most convenient to be able to print directly from the email.
Love the changes! Made the Melissa Clark version of this last night, but used bacon like you did. She has most of the corn purèed in a blender before combining it with the pasta. It was very creamy, which we liked. I added basil and chopped cherry tomatoes. This is a great summer dish with ample opportunities for improvisation. Thanks for the inspiration!
I was looking for the perfect recipe to use up some summer corn and I think I’ve just found it (I knew that a visit to your site would solve the problem — I always find what I’m looking for here!) Thanks for sharing, and try and enjoy the rest of your summer!!!
Looks Delish! BUT, 7-hour flight to a faraway beach with FIVE children(& one if them is a 1-yr-old?!?) Oh, you are a Brave Adventurer! You certainly believe in making up for lost time. Be sure to tell us where you went!
A 9 month-old, 1 year-old, 3 year-old and 2 6 year-olds. My 1 year-old can handle sitting in a chair for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before she has this ear-shattering screech so there’s basically no way this is going to go well. On the plus side, she is very happy so long as someone is carrying her at all times including for naps. Wait, maybe that’s a negative?
I tried to print the recipe from the Smitten Kitchen post, but it did not work.
Sorry for the trouble. Do you mean in this recipe (on the web page) or from elsewhere, such as the email that went out? Thanks.
I too miss the logo at the top of the printed page. As I was printing out this recipe I first used the Print icon button at the bottom of the recipe – as located on the old site except with the word Print. The recipe using that icon button was in huge font sizes with the name of the recipe showing up twice at the top of the page and the recipe was double spaced and the text a gray color. Luckily I caught it before printing. Then I went to the red PRINT word at the top of the recipe and it printed out fine – but no logo. I’m also on a Mac. Finally got it printed out to use tonight. I like the logo because it distinguished your recipes from other printouts. If the logo returns please make it smallish so as not to take up too much room on the page. Thanks!
We are going to get this cleaned up very soon. Thanks for your patience, in the meanwhile.
Exactly what I experienced, DebraJ and I am also on a Mac–forgot to mention that earlier. Also–when I comment I need to fill in my information each time, but it used to remember me. Sniff!
I’m so glad the search field made a comeback! Still, I don’t get why the weeknight tacos come up when I search for pistachios… sigh. The magnifying glass icon is still there though, don’t know if that’s on purpose.
Funny thing about this recipe is, accidentally already made this (minus the bacon) heeheee! Hooray for summer starting for you!
hi deb,
WRT the email digest (not the OG one that went out mostly blank, but the new version one that went out with this recipe) – can you put a link to the recipe on the site at the get go? i have long wondered why the first link which seems like it should do that, is really only a dead email link. (right below the banner ad – “corn bacon and parmesan pasta” [or whatever recipe, followed by “More Recent Articles” & “Search smitten kitchen”] – they just navigate within the email i guess? never really understood the purpose of these tbh.)
but, there used to at least be a “read the rest” type link towards the end…but now no more. (i know the recipe is now sent in full, but i want to easily go read it on the site.) it’s of course not the end of the world to come to the site and look up the recipe, but it just seems like there should be a direct link. sometimes i get the emails and think “not for me” and move on, but other times (most times) i think “omg, gotta check this out when i get home” and i like to read it on the site so i can also check out the comments from you and others who have already tried it simultaneously.
anyway, thanks for all your hard work! i am super excited about another cookbook, the site looks great, and i am forever loving the new bonus links in the email digests.
also…i’d really rather use my name (stephanie) and not my wordpress ID when i comment here, but since i only have one email address it forced me to use WP.
Yes, we are definitely going to fix this. I’m sorry for the trouble.
Made this for dinner last night and it was a hit! I swapped the bacon for pancetta and added a fresh diced tomato. Great quick weeknight meal. I’m also loving the new website, especially the comment sorting. After reading a recipe, I go all through the comments to see what questions people had or substitutions/issues/results people had when making themselves so I love that you added a feature for that exactly!
I have to say, I’m SO EXCITED that I can read an entire post on Feedly now. Thank you 1 million times. :)
Then I definitely shouldn’t tell you that it’s a temporary glitch and that while I too prefer full feeds on Feedly that unfortunately it leaves my hard work wide open for scrapers and other sites that “share” my work without my permission. Definitely not going to mention that. (Sorry. I hate it too.)
I can’t say I made this exactly (added tomatoes, kale and zucchini) but the inspiration was so strong I was compelled to start here. SO GOOD, Deb!! This will be on my summer rotation for a quick, easy dinner.
Just made this tonight. Had the ingredients on hand, only thing I added was some red pepper flakes for some zing. Husband said, “this is delicious, put this dinner in the ‘Eric likes this’ column. Thanks for the easy recipe!
I made this with cheese tortellini. A recipe for one’s armamentarium.
Awesome! Thank you! And thanks for moving the comment form back up top :)
I made this for dinner with cavatappi and I think I will put in more corn and bacon next time! Probably 1.5 times, doubling might be overkill. It’s also great cold (I’m eating some right now).
Deb – would like to know what are your “go-to” recipes that you use again and again! Maybe a year-end round-up?
Congrats on the new site – it’s great! Ten years – such an accomplishment!
Thanks for the idea. Right after I saw your comment, I added a “Weeknight Favorites” index link to the sidebar (on Desktop) and lower in the page (on mobile and tablet). It’s not exactly what you suggested, but these are the things that, for us, handle the “what should we have for dinner tonight” question in ways that make everyone happy. In terms of everyday cooking, those are the go-tos.
For year-end round-ups, I haven’t done them every year but I did include one here for 2014 and here for 2015.
I made this with farro last night and it was delish! I inadvertently bought a cheese called “Roomano Pradera” thinking it was Romano. It reminded me of Robusto cheese you can get at Whole Foods – an aged gouda from what Google tells me. The smoky-agedness of the cheese worked well with the bacon. So I’m here to say thumbs-up to subbing farro and other cheeses. Thanks for another tasty and easily-adaptable dish!
i made this, sort of… with turkey bacon and spiralized zucchini. yum!
I made (a loosely-related version of) this for dinner tonight and had to contain myself from eating the whole pot! I’m vegetarian, so I left out the bacon, but added in some chopped cherry tomatoes. I had some ricotta on hand, so added in a dollop of that instead of the suggested mascarpone. The combination of sweet corn, tomatoes, basil, and chives made it taste like summer, and made the 20 minutes I spent in my un-airconditioned, windowless kitchen with the stove on in 85-degree heat totally worth it.
Was able to get to pies with the link you wrote me (I was looking for your pie crust), but still can’t through the recipe index. Wouldn’t it (“Sweets”) be somewhere between “Summer” and “Tarts/Quiche” ?
Thanks — let me take a closer look. In general, issues with tagging and recipe index are my errors, not from a bigger, say, code issue so I’m sure it will just need a small adjustment.
This looks sooooo delicious! I love the pasta with corn! I want to try on tomorrow!
Thanks
Hi Deb, the Eat your Books link in the smoked whitefish dip recipe is all written out and I’m guessing you originally meant it to be a one-word link, right? I just thought I would let you know. Oh! Also, none of the pictures are showing up.
Ugh! But thank you. Will get that fixed.
I do not see you making corn bacon here.
corn, bacon, and parmesan pasta/let’s eat grandma
punctuation saves lives!
[ð]
(loving following you and cooking your delectable treats)
Elaine
________________________________
Very tasty! This was the perfect recipe to use up some corn I had sitting around. I used both black pepper and red pepper flakes. To replace the bacon I used a mix of paprika (for smokiness) and oil from oil packed sun-dried tomatoes (for fat). I loved the combination and will definitely be making this again
Love this recipe because adults and kids clean their plates with no whining! I roasted up some cherry tomatoes from my garden and tossed those in at the end. I accidentally dumped out all of the cooking water, so I just threw in a couple of tablespoons of tap water and it was fine. I’m looking forward to trying some goat cheese in there next time! Thank you for creating such a beautiful site…your emails are a highlight in my inbox!!
So good! Made this for dinner tonight. Added diced tomato and a little smoked paprika because I only had a couple of pieces of bacon. Followed others and stirred in a little marscapone. Made the seared scallops from Ad Hoc cookbook and served on top. They were really delicious with the pasta. Shrimp would be great too, though it’s definitely an excellent meal by itself. Thanks for an awesome summer recipe! Love the redesign!
You are, hands down, one of my favorite bloggers. I spend my quiet, early morning Saturday’s, while my kids sleep (!!!!), combing through your recipes and reading your delightful commentary. I often forward your ripest to friends without having tried them myself yet because they are so consistently working recipes! Love the new format!
This was wonderful! So quick and simple and so, so satisfying! Wasn’t even too awful to make last night in the 95+ degree heat! Thanks! Oh, and love the new design, particularly the way the links (particularly to pix of gorgeous kids) stand out more. Thank you!
This was easy and delicious with fresh, local corn. I added * a few * spoons of mascarpone and it was still a light summer dish.
Thank you for this fabulous summer dinner recipe. I made it with 3 ears of corn because I was aching for fresh corn, and cooking it in the bacon fat (instead of the pedestrian butter) was a revelation. I highly recommend the mascarpone for even more satisfaction. Had for lunch the next day…and the next day. Held up really well!
I bought all the ingredientsto make this for a dinner I’m headed to tonight. In my head I read the title as a pasta salad. Will this be just as good served at room temperature or do you have a tip for me to turn this into a pasta salad?
I was wondering the same thing!
Instead of using bacon, I used mushrooms with a little smoked paprika. I added closer to four ears of corn, because I had a lot of leftover corn.
I’ve also made a similar pasta dish with corn and sauteed zucchini before, and it’s a favorite of mine.
Made it today during our never ending “heat dome”. I added ricotta instead of mascarpone and omitted the bacon. Worth the 20 min of having the oven on. Enjoy your vacation!
Absolutely delicious and so easy! Thank you for such a great summer pasta. We made this tonight and our family scarfed it down with a nice Vinho Verde!
Deb, made this tonight for dinner and it’s so delicious! I added the mascarpone, oh yum. Thanks again for another winner!
Ha! I didn’t even scroll through the comments before I posted below you — great minds think alike!
this was obsessively delicious. I made it with leftover prosciutto instead of bacon and it was absolutely divine — we had to force ourselves to stop eating it. Thanks for another winner!
After seeing how delicious and simple this looked I went ahead and immediately made it for dinner last week. I used fusilli pasta which worked just fine, and chose to top it with basil, parsley and chives. I also replaced the bacon with turkey bacon and found it to be absolutely delicious. This well definitely be going into rotation as an easy summer dinner.
I used pre-cubed pancetta instead of bacon (because I’m lazy) and pecorino instead of parmesan (because it was on sale) but this is so so delicious. I suspect it will also be delicious leftover as a cold noodle salad.
I’ve been drooling over this since I saw your post on Instagram. Made it tonight with radiatore , but didn’t have scallions, so threw some minced salad onion into the bacon fat for a few minutes before I added the corn. First comment from my picky 15 y.o: “weird looking pasta.” Second comment (each comment corresponding with a bite): “this is good.” Third comment: “this is really good.” Fourth comment: “I think you should add this to the rotation (highest praise a recipe can get).
Made this this evening. Yummy,simple,summery,light. Popular with my family too.
Dammit, Deb- you’ve done it again!
This is a great weeknight meal. Instead of bacon, I used cherry tomatoes. I cut them half and added them with the scallions. I also used 1 cup farro instead of pasta and 3 ears of corn.
Made this last night and must admit my expectations were low — just couldn’t imagine corn and pasta together, don’t think I’d ever heard of that combo before. BIG surprise at how delicious it was. I did add the mascarpone at the end and highly recommend it. The only thing I might change next time is the pasta shape; I used fusilli and think that orecchiete might be better.
This was great and definitely a kid favorite. I doubled the pasta and the corn and left the rest as instructed.
Made this over the weekend with Neuske’s thick cut bacon and local farmstand corn. Delicious, easy, summer supper.
Added some homegrown cherry tomatoes the next day and served the leftovers cold as pasta salad tossed with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar.
I am so thankful for your blog, recipes, and commentary. My loyalty to your measurements and suggestions is strong–which puts me in panicky spots such as, how much of the scallion do I thinly slice?!?! Seriously, the whole thing or just to a certain point? I’m never sure with scallions.
Thanks!
I always use the whole scallion (trimmed) unless otherwise noted.
This was absolutely delicious. What a perfect (and easy) summer recipe! The only thing I did differently was to add the juice and zest of a lemon. Thanks!
I made this with some substitutions based on what I had on hand, mushrooms instead of bacon and fresh oregano instead of the herbs and scallions. I really liked the simplicity of the dish. It was quick and easy and really let the sweet corn shine through, so it’s the perfect dish for a hot summer day and would also be great at a picnic.
One of the first meals I was able to make and serve to the whole family! Considering how picky everyone is, I consider this a massive win. Thanks! PS Now I have to try the bacon-corn hash recipe!
We made this yesterday and it was beyond delicious. I wish we had quadrupled the recipe because it’s all I want to eat now. The only thing we did differently was boiling the corn on the cob the day before, then taking the kernels off and just heating them up in the bacon fat a little as the recipe said. Everything else we followed as written, and it was perfect. We used homemade pasta which made it even better! I cannot wait to have this again. So flavorful and really hit the spot.
Made this last night (as written) and while I love the bacon corn hash in its own right for the ability to add a fried and and plenty of tabasco ketchup, I think this one wins out. An excess of scallions, basil, and chives really knocked it out of the park, in my opinion, and I think tomatoes would also be great here! Does anyone have suggestions for a good green to add? I was thinking maybe arugula if the pasta was served cold, but I might just have to leave well enough alone.
I made this with Barilla’s White Fiber Rotini, but otherwise exactly as written. My husband and I thought it was delicious, and also barely stopped ourselves from eating the entire batch. The next time I make it, and I am sure there will be a next time, I might try 1.5 or 2 times the corn with a tiny bit of olive oil added to the tablespoon of bacon fat. As Deb said, there are many ways to vary this. Perhaps saute leeks with the corn and omit scallions, saute asparagus or spinach with the corn, add tomatoes or even some diced avocado right at the end with the herbs. The herbs could be any combination of basil, parsley and chives.
I’m a long-time reader, but I don’t think I’ve ever commented before. You absolutely spoil us, Deb, with the equivalent of 10 cookbooks here and the recipes just keep coming. Thank you!
This is a new family favorite. I avoided the fattiest parts of the bacon and didn’t need to drain it. It literally came together in the time it took to boil the water and cook the pasta and that included grating the parm. Plus, my 2.5 year old, my 11 mo old and husband all ate it!
hi, deb ~ love your site & recipes.
I miss being able to click the recipe on Instagram. are you able to ‘highlight’ the recipe on the redesign?
happy birthday to your husband.
I’m a grandmother & get a kick out of your kids photos. adorable ~ enjoy them, it sure goes by too fast.
thank you ~
Thank you — I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the site. I haven’t changed anything with Instagram; when I share an older recipe, the link is always in the profile. Are you not seeing it anymore?
Made it last week and it was very very yummy. Did add in some tomatoes as I wanted a bit more pop of color to the dish.
Delicious! I added creme fraiche that I bought to make the luscious peach pie, and it was a wonderful addition.
This was delicious! I sauted some tomatoes and garlic before the corn and couldn’t gobble it up fast enough. Thank you for another terrific recipe!
I made a vegetarian version of this recipe by using EVOO and 2-3 TB of pine nuts and tomatoes. Definitely will make again.
This reminds me of a MYODD (make your own ___ dinner) night growing up. My mom would always make this with ham instead of bacon and add tons of mayo. Parm sounds much better lol
Just made this for an impromptu pool party. The addition of mascarpone is genius! We used 1 box of pasta and 2 tins of corn (we were late to the farmer’s market and missed all the fresh stuff!), we also added some sauteed red onion in with the corn. Another winner!
Delicious! I made this with tomatoes instead of bacon and farro instead of pasta. Used Lowry’s seasoned salt in addition to regular salt and pepper. Threw in two tablespoons of butter for richness.
Just made this and gobbled the whole thing with my husband. 2 big thumbs up from both of us!! i added cherry tomatoes and jalapenos with my garnie! LURVE!!
Hello Deb! Smitten Kitchen has been one of my top go-to recipe sites for over two years now. I think there have been a couple of dinner parties where every dish on the menu began here — I enjoy trying your recipes as-is, and then spring boarding from there. But in all this time I’ve never jumped in to leave a comment.
Last week I was mulling over just what to do with the four lonely ears of sweet corn left inside my refrigerator (their compatriots had given their all the week before to become a half-gallon of incredible gelato). This recipe turned out to be just the thing.
I doubled it, and my trusty dutch oven was the perfect size. I added a couple of diced zucchini with the corn, and handed eight boneless, skinless chicken thighs over to the house grill-master, who worked his magic on them. They were sliced and mixed in toward the end, along with several scoops of mascarpone. It made a fantastic, one-dish summer meal. Well, many meals. But I’m still grinning over how incredibly easy, quick, and very delicious it was. Thanks so much!
We didn’t love this. For me, the pasta water and the parmesan didn’t make it saucy enough. I think we might like it better with the marscapone, or with some of the corn puréed into a creamy sauce like one of the other commenters suggested.
After roughly a billion years of having this bookmarked I finally made this last weekend as part of a BBQ potluck dinner. It was really good! Everyone liked it and I made it as the recipe stated except I doubled it. My only change next time would be sauteing the green onions with the corn instead of tossing them in raw. I think the double dose of green onions and chive action was a little strong, especially since I may have been heavy handed in my doubling of the recipe. I splashed in some of the pasta water with the final stir and added extra salt and pepper and ate it for days.
Very simple and easy dish. I think the final product could use a little more oil….maybe some olive oil or something. Once you get a bite with all the components it is very delicious….the crunchiness of the corn and saltiness of the bacon. I used pancetta instead which provided an earthy flavor. Overall, I would make this again, maybe tweak a few ingredients though.
I usually double recipes (3 teenagers) and save leftovers for lunch at work the next day. How well does keep?
Awesome. I made this at the beach last year and the recipe popped up again on my Facebook feed just now, evidently to remind me to do it again this year.
So delicious. I had leftover bacon from breakfast and leftover corn on the cob and just reheated it in a little butter before mixing in with the other ingredients and penne pasta. I added about a half cup of cream cheese and that made it even MORE of a decadent, rich dish. Even my pickiest son loved it. Simple salad on the side and dinner was served.
This dish is completely amazing. It was devoured in 10 minutes. My new go-to summer pasta.
My daughter made your corn, bacon, parmesan and pasta salad. We couldn’t stop eating it!! I look forward to much more deliciousness as is evident in your recipe list! Thank you!
Super delicious! Added small sweet tomatoes and sauted shallots. Teenagers went crazy!!
This is a winner — family and toddler approved. Some notes:
– The first time I made this I wished for more corn; this time I doubled the recipe and *tripled* the corn (six ears) and I was happy, though I think it could have handled even more honestly. (Maybe our New England corncobs are small.)
– I added some English shelling peas and halved cherry tomatoes, which were very welcome (had to scale up the bacon fat to match up course). I didn’t bother parboiling the peas, so they were a little firmer than they should be, but not problematic.
– I really liked a spoonful of ricotta stirred in at the end (to individual bowls, not the whole pot) but it was fine without.
Very easy and very delicious! I can hardly wait to re-heat the leftovers and top it with a fried egg for breakfast. This recipe is a real keeper.
Delicious and quick to pull together! I made this for dinner tonight with 2 corn on the cobs and 4 slices of Trader Joe’s thick cut applewood bacon. I don’t have any scallions so I skipped it all together. DH and I both loved it. I will make this again!
I made a salad variation (unfortunately without the herbs) with the same ingredients except the pasta (and a lot more scallions). Tasty!
I brought this to a potluck and found it to be a bit underwhelming. It could have been because it was cold by the time anyone ate it, but definitely had a lot left over at the end of the event, which to me signals it wasn’t really a hit!
Just made this for dinner. It was super easy and very tasty. My fussy husband went back for seconds. Thank you!
Could you make this with canned or frozen corn?
I made this with Trader Joe’s frozen fire-roasted corn and it was delish. I think I’d avoid canned corn.
Hi deb! Looobe your recipes. I want to make this for my husbands 40th picnic style. Can it be served room temp made ahead?
Yes, it’s definitely meant to be room temperature-optional.
I found a new variation on this recipe that I love so much!!! In the summer I make this recipe a lot because it’s quick, easy, and I don’t have air conditioning so cook time needs to be at a minimum.
A great variation I have discovered is to swap out the corn and parmesan for the following:
1 bag of Trader Joe’s Mexican Style Roasted Corn with Cotija Cheese
Some shredded Manchego
A few dashes of cumin
The TJ’s corn has a baggie of cotija in it and the corn comes with these sauce pellets that melt down. I throw that in after the bacon and onion are done and then add pasta on top once the corn is warmed through. It adds a nice mexican flare to it while still keeping my cook time to a minimum!
Just made this with leftover cooked corn from Father’s Day and farfalle pasta. DH doesn’t “do” fresh basil, green onions or chives so I sautéed a little minced (totally invisible) white onion in the bacon fat, added some equally unseen fresh minced sage and finished it with white cheddar and Parmesan. Really nice flavor combo. Thanks for the brilliant idea.
This is a delicious summer dish. I made it with bacon last time and pre-cubed pancetta this time. I used fusilli and the corn kernels hide delightfully inside the spirals. My husband hates cheese (I know crazy right?) so I omitted it and just added extra bacon fat for flavour.
This has become a go to staple summer dinner for me. Sooooo good
I messed this up, though it was still tasty, and I’m wondering if anyone knows why. I was trying to make ahead as much as possible and I rinsed the pasta to stop it from cooking further … which may be why when I added it, the pasta water, and half the shredded parm in with the heat on low-ish, the parm seized up into a blob of gross. I managed to fish it out and just added more at the end once I reheated it at dinner time.
Anyone have an idea as to why the parm seized?
If the pasta wasn’t hot any longer and a bit too much cooking water went in, the cheese could definitely slide off and seize. If the pasta is piping hot, this happens less often.
Can you make this ahead of time? I want to bring this to my friend’s BBQ. Not sure if I can do this the day before? Or is the day of best? Any modifications if prepped ahead of time?
Day of is best because the sauce begins to absorb into the pasta after mixed.
I love corn pasta very much it is my all time favorite. Thank you so much for this post. Now, I will definitely try this new version of recipe.
Delicious! I added some red pepper flakes,as suggested by another commenter. Probably modify it a bit next time to use a pound of dried pasta.
I made this for dinner tonight but used 10oz of pasta and basically doubling everything else plus adding about a half cup of frozen peas and a tsp of red pepper flakes. It was AMAZING! Eating the leftovers cold with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice today for lunch and will be making so many times in the future.
Can this be made ahead of time for a potluck? If so, how should it be stored/reheated? Thank you!
I think cold isn’t idea but room temperture is fine.
Have you tried making this with frozen corn? Am I doomed if I don’t use corn straight from the cob?
This one gets 5 stars. I just found this recipe and really enjoyed it. I cut up a zucchini and sauted it in a little of the bacon grease as well and it made for a delightful meal. I always find interesting recipes on your website. Thanks so much for all your inspiration.
Just excellent, as expected! I used 4 ears of local farm fresh sweet corn, a bit less parmesan and both crushed red and ground black pepper. Simple & flavorful, a gorgeous summer meal. I expect it will be great tomorrow cold or reheated as well. Thanks for another favorite, Deb!
Can I pleeeassse make this ahead and serve at room temperature for a picnic??
I definitely think so.
We LOVE this dish. We made increased all ingredients by 1/3 because the fusilli was 17 Oz not 12 in our bag and only used basil no chives. Such a lovely summertime dish.
This is a total win. Alterations – used Gemelli pasta, added red pepper flakes, increased corn to 3 ears (perfect), would increase bacon to 1/3 or 1/2 lb. Added most of a 8 oz. tub of mascarpone, and obviously more parmesan. Added halved cherry tomatoes and the scallions about a minute after I started the corn saute. I sprinkled in a little Old Bay, but not really enough to taste. Might try more next time, but honestly not sure if it’d be better despite my love for it.
Overall, it’s a super pretty dish with colors of the tomatoes and herbs. Good way to get your carb craving as well as take advantage of delicious summer veggies.
Oh my gosh! This is so delicious! I think I put in more bacon because first, who doesn’t like bacon and second, if I don’t have plans for the remainder, I don’t want to leave it in the frig so long I need to throw it out. We were at our cabin and I forgot the scallions at home…I did have a shallot so I chopped that up and sautéed it before I added the corn to the bacon drippings and that worked out beautifully. I needed to add a bit more of the bacon drippings so glad I had saved those. Took your advice and added the mascarpone at the end ~ YUM! This was a hit with the adults and the kids! I will definitely be making this again and perhaps even add some fresh tomatoes next time. Thanks for a real winner!
I’d made this once before and it was kind of meh; but tried it again last night and it was wonderful. I added creme fraiche at the end and the result was a yummy, creamy dish. I think the trick is to mix well between adding the cheese, the pasta water and the creme fraiche. The fresh basil added a great touch as well.
It definitely should be served warm.
I just made this and it was so delicious! Added diced zucchini in with the corn for some extra veggies. I was afraid I’d miss a main protein and considered adding shrimp or chicken, but it was so satisfying without! I think it would be equally as delicious cold/room temp (will test it for lunch tomorrow!).
What brand of spiral pasta did you use?
I bought it from Setaro. You can sometimes find it online, such as from this shop. (The prices seem high until you realize most come in 2-pound bags).
I added mushrooms (between bacon and corn steps) and a little fresh thyme and WOW.
The pasta water really helps relax it all together. Great simple summer recipe
This was the start of an amazing recipe mash up I made tonight. I bought stuff to make this, including a tomato to dice and put in at the end, but the tomato kept making me think of tomato and corn pie.
When my gluten free housemate asked if she could join us, I went to work modifying. I swapped the pasta for diced zucchini sautéed in the bacon grease, used the chives, Italian seasoning, and feta I usually use in the tomato corn pie, and added some diced chicken for protein. It was sooooooo good.
Someday I’ll make this as written, but today I was grateful that the bacon and corn combo got the wheels rolling for this tasty mashup!
Made this with Guancile (jowl bacon that some Italian friends have turned me on to) and leftover corn on the cob. Added some cream and parsley, and it’s a easy delicious and filling lunch for a quarantine workday!
Made this last night – easy and fantastic!!!
This is a top 5 favorite dinner for each member of my family. Instead of cutting up the bacon, I cook it in whole slices then crumble it up after it cools. We always eat fresh tomatoes and steamed green beans with this. Fresh herbs are a must and when I can manage it, I use so much mint, basil, chives, parsley, and cilantro that it looks like I’m having an herb salad on top of some pasta.
Yum. Can’t wait to try it when corn arrives on the scene here this summer. In the meantime, have you got a replacement suggestion for parmesan (in this and so many other excellent recipes)? My husband won’t eat it and I’m missing the bite of its flavour — so something with good flavour but not too strong. 😕
I made this for an impromptu family dinner for 8 solely because it looked easy and I had the ingredients. I’m not usually a big fan of corn but this was delish! We made this vegetarian by subbing sautéed mushrooms for bacon and topping with feta cheese.
This is our favourite summer recipe!
I switch it up a bit by adding a log of goat cheese to the hot (drained) pasta to make the sauce- perfection!
Another great recipe! I didn’t have bacon, so I used diced pancetta – otherwise followed directions. So good and simple. My daughter picked out this recipe so she could pack it for school lunch… no modifications needed! She’s lucky the family didn’t eat the whole pan before she could pack it! Thanks so much Deb!
Super yummy! We got four helpings with a some leftovers. Used a dollop of crème fraiche to finished it off. I thought I had several ears of fresh corn but turned out not. So, I used frozen (a sin in mid-September) but I was able to char it a bit and it was acceptable. So this works as a winter dish if corn isn’t in season.
Yum!!
Made this again tonight. Doubled it because, seriously, who only cooks 1/2 a box of pasta?!? 🤦♀️ 🤣
Also added a bunch of asparagus (chopped) and most of a pint of grape tomatoes with the corn. Added extra cheese to taste, given the extra veggies. Used a blend of Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano. Served over a bed of arugula. Delicious and extra summery!!
Has anyone served this cold? I’m curious how this would be. thanks.
So lovely, great for a hot night when you really don’t want to cook inside. ❤️
Made this for dinner tonight and I attempted to double it but I found the pasta to corn ratio way off for my liking, so I only used about 10oz. of the pasta and doubled the rest of the ingredients. My pre-shredded parmesan clumped up {I always grate a wedge for dishes like this but, thanks to one of my children, couldn’t find the grater}. I had to add more seasonings to it, as it was a tad bland. Added some cherry tomatoes that needed to be used. Overall, very good!
My 6 year old, no-sauce pasta kid loves this so much. This week he requested it as his “last meal” pre-surgery dinner and ate the leftovers for day-after breakfast. I never would have thought to put corn in pasta. Thank you!
I’ve been tweaking this for the past month. Love this recipe with the addition of tomatoes, lots of fresh basil, and fresh pasta, if possible. It’s a perfect taste of summer! Thanks, Deb!
I made this last night. I followed the recipe most of the way, but when I got to the “add parmesan” step, I decided to gild the lily and stir in some homemade pesto (Marcella Hazan’s version) along with the cherry tomatoes recommended by others. Wow. It was pretty amazing. Can’t wait for the leftovers for today’s lunch.
Fresh corn a must…perfect summer pasta! Adding a scoop of mascarpone, cream cheese or Greek style yogurt at the end is the perfect touch.
This is an amazing recipe. This is my go to side dish. It is great with medium shells. I always make a double batch because it disappears so fast. Also great cold leftover with mayo added as a pasta salad. My husband and kids love this.
Smitten kitchen is my favorite site for recipes!
Made this several times for friends always a hit. This time i am going to use TJ corn and burrata ravioli and saute a few fresh gulf shrimp to toss. Love love love this recipe.
I used a spoon of sour cream instead of the mascarpone and extra chives instead of scallions, because I had everything else already in my kitchen and didn’t really want to go to the store – and even with the substitutions this recipe turned out absolutely perfect. It somehow tastes like essence of cookout without any of the imperfections of actual cookout food.
Really love Smitten Kitchen, I’ve used it ever since I’ve moved out on my own! (Thank you Mom). I like to add garlic to this recipe and a splash of lemon. Super easy weeknight meal and very tasty :)