Pappardelle With Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil Cream Sauce

If ever there were a summer pasta recipe that let the flavors of the season shine, this pappardelle with corn, blistered tomatoes, and basil cream sauce is it!

The creamy basil sauce is made from sautéed fresh corn, red onion, a touch of mascarpone cheese (though you can omit this to keep it dairy-free!), and lots of fresh basil. Blend until creamy, then toss with DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta, blistered tomatoes, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and lots of cracked black pepper.

What you’ll love about this pasta:

• It’s super thick and creamy, without the addition of heavy cream!
• Features fresh, seasonal produce that tastes best during summer!
• No meat, making it a wonderful vegetarian entrée for when you want to go meatless!
• It’s got just 10 ingredients!
• Loved by adults and children alike — my daughter can throw down a few bowls, easy!

Ingredients For Pappardelle with Basil Cream Sauce

Grab the best pappardelle noodles you can get your hands on! We’re using our favorite DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta. These authentic Italian noodles cook to a perfect al dente in 9 minutes, have the most amazing chew, and are a glorious pale golden hue thanks to farm-fresh eggs and durum wheat. You can serve them with everything from a meaty bolognese to a lighter lemon garlic sauce. Since it’s warm out, we’re keeping things seasonal with a homemade basil cream sauce! You’re going to love it.

For the basil cream sauce you’ll need:

• Red onion
• Corn on the cob
• Fresh basil
• Mascarpone cheese
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Looking to make this pasta entirely dairy-free? Simply omit the mascarpone cheese (it’ll be a slightly thinner sauce) and leave out the Parmesan at the end. If you’ve got a favorite dairy-free cheese, we recommend adding to help replace the saltiness that Parmesan adds to the dish!

Remaining ingredients for the pasta:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Parmigiano Reggiano (freshly grated, please!)

How To Cook Pappardelle Perfectly

1. Bring water to a boil. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Season generously with Kosher salt (a good 2 Tbsp).
2. Add pasta. Place DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta in the water, then use tongs or a spatula to break up the nests a bit. Cook for 9 minutes, until al dente.
3. Reserve cooking liquid. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup cooking liquid.
4. Drain. Drain the pasta, then set aside.

How To Make Summery Basil Cream Sauce

1. Sauté the onion and corn. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onion, then sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add corn kernels, then season with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Sauté 3 minutes more.
2. Purée into a sauce. Transfer the corn kernels and red onion to a blender (or food processor fitted with blade attachment), reserving ¼ cup of corn — set this aside. Add ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese and ½ cup packed basil. Blend until very smooth, about 20-30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Blister the tomatoes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (can use the same one as before!) over high heat. Add cherry tomatoes, season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then cook until blistered, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often.
4. Toss together. Combine cooked pasta, blistered tomatoes, basil cream sauce, reserved corn kernels, and ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano in the large skillet over medium heat. Toss to thoroughly combine, the add ¼ cup of reserved pasta cooking water to thin out. Add more as needed. Give one final toss, then divide between bowls.
5. To serve: drizzle each serving with a little extra virgin olive oil, then add extra Parmesan, basil, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.

Why It’s Important To Toss The Pasta With Sauce Before Serving

Okay, this is major! Biggest tip from working in restaurant kitchens is that the pasta should always be finished with the sauce in a pan. Don’t just toss the pasta with sauce in a mixing bowl, oh no. Why do we recommend heating them through in a warm skillet?

This process helps the sauce stick to the pasta and coat it evenly. Also, the addition of reserved cooking water will thicken the sauce with the natural starch from the pasta, creating a velvety smooth, thick, luscious sauce. Trust me, you don’t want to skip this important step!

To reheat pasta: place pasta in a skillet, then heat with a few tablespoons of water over medium heat. Toss until heated through, then serve with parmesan, basil, and black pepper.

What To Serve With This Pappardelle Pasta

The flavors of this pasta recipe are bright and summery. Even without the addition of heavy cream, the corn and basil cream sauce is thick and clings to the pappardelle pasta. We recommend a light green salad (something with an oil-based salad dressing, nothing creamy).

Other great side dishes:

• Avocado tomato salad
• Mozzarella caprese gazpacho

If you’ve got extra DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta in the pantry, (or if you’re reading this in colder months!) be sure to make our favorite fall pasta recipe: braised beef pappardelle — it is luscious, hearty, and perfect on a cool evening. Use this handy store locator to find DeLallo products near you!

Guys, this pasta 100% tastes like summer! It is a celebration of fresh, seasonal produce and high quality ingredients. Sound like something you could be into? Yep, figured! If you make this Pappardelle pasta with basil cream sauce, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!

And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!

For more pasta recipes, check out the following:

• Spicy crab pasta
• Rigatoni bolognese
• Chicken pesto pasta
• Linguine with chorizo, butternut squash, and sage
• Pancetta pasta with arugula
• Lamb ragu with mint

*This post was sponsored by DeLallo. All opinions are my own. I only support and promote brands that I believe in and use in my own kitchen – I hope you’ll check them out! Thank you for supporting the brands that make Well Seasoned possible. 

Print Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Pappardelle with Corn, Blistered Tomatoes, and Basil Cream Sauce Recipe

This light, summery pappardelle pasta beautifully highlights the best ingredients of the season: fresh corn, blistered cherry tomatoes, and a luscious basil cream sauce! Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Thick, creamy, and easily adaptable to be dairy-free. Calling it now, this is the pasta of summer!

Prep10 minutes mins

Cook30 minutes mins

Total40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: basil sauce, blistered tomatoes, corn pasta

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Ari Laing

Equipment

Blender or food processor

Tongs

Large skillet

Pot for boiling pasta

Spatula

Colander

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided, plus more for serving
• 2 ears of corn shucked and kernels removed
• ¼ cup water
• ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup packed basil plus more for garnish
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
• 1 (8.8 oz) bag DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta
• ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated, plus more for serving
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Flaky sea salt for serving

Instructions

• Bring water to a boil. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Season generously with Kosher salt (a good 2 Tbsp).
• Add pasta. Place DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Nest Pasta in the water, then use tongs or a spatula to break up the nests a bit. Cook for 9 minutes, until al dente.
• Reserve cooking liquid. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup cooking liquid. Drain the pasta, then set aside.
• Sauté the onion and corn. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onion, then sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add corn kernels, then season with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Sauté 3 minutes more.
• Purée into a sauce. Transfer the corn kernels and red onion to a blender (or food processor fitted with blade attachment), reserving ¼ cup of corn — set this aside. Add ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese and ½ cup packed basil. Blend until very smooth, about 20-30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Blister the tomatoes. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (can use the same one as before!) over high heat. Add cherry tomatoes, season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then cook until blistered, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often.
• Toss together. Combine cooked pasta, blistered tomatoes, basil cream sauce, reserved corn kernels, and ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano in the large skillet over medium heat. Toss to thoroughly combine, the add ¼ cup of reserved pasta cooking water to thin out. Add more as needed. Give one final toss, then divide between bowls.
• To serve: drizzle each serving with a little extra virgin olive oil, then add extra Parmesan, thinly sliced basil (if desired), and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.

Notes

• Use this store locator to find DeLallo products near you!
• Be sure to finish the pasta by tossing everything together with the sauce in a skillet over medium heat. This will help the sauce stick to the pappardelle and ensure it’s evenly coated.
• To reheat pasta: place pasta in a skillet, then heat with a few tablespoons of water over medium heat. Toss until heated through, then serve with parmesan, basil, and black pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1025mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @wellseasonedstudio and hashtag it #wellseasonedstudio!