Corn and Bacon Pasta makes use of all that sweet summer corn by adding it to pasta and topping it with bacon for an extra delicious and crazy simple weeknight dinner.
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Now full disclosure, I’m a pretty big fan of almost any pasta dish. There aren’t many I don’t like. But this dish – this corn and bacon pasta is maybe one of the top three things I’ve eaten so far this summer. I had it last night for dinner, then ate the leftovers for lunch and AGAIN for dinner tonight. It’s just that good.
Take the pasta of your choice and slather it in a garlicky creamy sauce, then add crisp sweet corn kernels and top it all with bacon. I mean, really.
This is an ultimate weeknight dinner. It’s ready in about 20 minutes but packs a punch of flavor and is impressive enough to serve to company.
Again, the meal comes together really quickly, so its important to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting cooking.
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Ideally, you want to prepare this dish so that you’re cooking the bacon as the pasta water heats up, and then cooking the corn and the sauce while the pasta cooks.
If you’re new to cooking, or timing things isn’t your strong suit (it’s definitely not mine) then you can cook the pasta ahead of time (still al dente), and it will reheat just fine in the sauce.
Just cook and strain your pasta, and let it sit to the side while you prepare the corn and sauce, and then just throw the pasta in at the end the same way you would if you were making it all together.
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta (short shape of your choice)
- Fresh Corn
- Bacon
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Heavy Cream (can substitute whole milk)
- Tomatoes
- Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to salt your pasta water liberally. You want the water to taste like the ocean. The pasta’s only seasoning is the salt in the water, and you want to be able to taste it.
- Really take the time to brown the corn – the sugars in the corn caramelize as it browns, and it gets even more sweet and delicious than it already was.
- If you’re looking to save calories, you can use half and half or whole milk instead of heavy cream. The pasta won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still be absolutely delicious.
- Don’t overcook your pasta in the pasta water. You’re going to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, so err on the side of draining the pasta a minute or so before you think it’s ready.
- If you’re making this during a time when corn is not in season, you can easily use frozen corn in its place. You don’t even have to defrost it. Just add it to the pan from frozen but prepare for it to need to cook about 3-5 minutes longer than from fresh.
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Corn and Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 ounces of pasta short shape
- 2 ears of corn
- 4 slices of bacon chopped
- 1 large shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- ½ pint of cherry tomatoes halved
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.
- Cut the the corn kernels from the cobs, and set aside.
- Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet until browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
- Add the shallots and corn to the bacon drippings and cook for 6 minutes or so, until browned and tender.
- Add the garlic, and cook 1 more minute.
- Stir in the cream and broth, and let thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and the tomatoes, and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until pasta is fully cooked.
- Add the bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with parmesan cheese.
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