This Indulgent Pasta Dish Is Inspired by Creamed Corn

We’re heading into those sticky weeks of summer that call for a stable of almost-instant, practically effortless, definitely oven-less meals, and this is one of them. It’s just the sort of dinner you can throw together in about 15 minutes when you’re fresh from the beach, urgently hungry, still in your bathing suit, and with wet hair.

This one-pot pasta sings summer sweetness. It’s got juicy, milky corn; burrata so creamy and luscious it’s practically indecent; edgy, grassy chives to bring it all into focus. And, uh, that’s about it; the whole deal takes just five ingredients. Keeping count? The other two are bucatini (spaghetti-long noodles with a hole that runs through each, like an extra-large macaroni, chewy and designed for grabbing onto creamy sauces) and a hit of red chile flakes, for a thrum of heat against the sweet corn and rich cheese. The result is hearty and light, salty and sweet, all at the same time — and it’s awfully pretty to boot.

The Secret to a Creamy (Creamless!) Corn Sauce

The creamy sauce? Creamless! It’s made from corn kernels, sautéed in butter with the chile flakes until sunshiny gold, then briefly simmered with some of the salty, starchy pasta water left from cooking the bucatini (that starchy water will help the sauce cling to the pasta when it comes time to introduce the two). Purée the mixture using an immersion (or regular) blender and you’re ready to roll: Toss with the bucatini, heap it onto a platter, and scatter a few raw corn kernels over the top for pops of crunchy sweetness. 

All that’s left? Break open a ball of burrata over the top. This is your moment for oohing and aahing — it’s true that summer corn is the star here, but burrata is only too glad to steal the spotlight. Relish that messy, dramatic flourish, then finish with a handful of chopped chives and lots of black pepper.

Serve hot, with a crisp, sharp salad alongside and cold white wine — and eat it all outside if you can.

5-Ingredient Creamy Corn Bucatini with Burrata

Ingredients

  • 1 pound

    dried bucatini

  • 3 tablespoons

    unsalted butter or olive oil

  • 3 cups

    fresh corn kernels (from about 3 large ears of corn), divided

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    chile flakes, plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 4 to 6 ounces

    burrata

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons

    roughly chopped fresh chives, to serve

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the bucatini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain. Set pasta aside while you make the sauce.

  2. Return the large pot to the stove and set over medium heat. Add the butter. When melted and foamy, add 2 1/2 cups of corn kernels, chile flakes, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until kernels are bright yellow, about 3 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the corn mixture until creamy and mostly smooth.

  3. Add the bucatini to the pot and use tongs to toss with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning; if too thick, add remaining pasta water as desired.

  4. To serve, transfer the saucy pasta to a platter. Sprinkle with remaining (raw) corn kernels, then gently break the burrata into several pieces over the pasta. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and fresh chives. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: You can cut the kernels from the cob up to 3 days ahead.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Ingredient/Equipment Variation: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a blender or a food processor.

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