Cashew Cream Corn Pasta with Basil

This super simple cashew cream corn pasta with basil makes the best quick summer meal! Made with an exceptionally creamy (easy to make!) cashew-based sauce, fresh or frozen sweet corn, your favorite pasta, and basil. It will delight the entire table for lunch, dinner, or as a flavorful side dish. It is GF, dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian.

The best sweet corn pasta

Summer is made for simple meals that highlight the best of the season, and this pasta is here to do just that!

Made with a simple cashew cream sauce that boasts loads of umami-rich flavor, sweet corn, and fresh basil, it will delight your taste buds and please everyone at the table.

As someone with a lot of experience making satisfying recipes without dairy, I’m a big fan of using cashew cream instead of heavy cream for pasta sauces. Like in the recipes for our Creamy Vegan Vodka Pasta Sauce, Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo, and Dairy Free Mushroom Stroganoff, cashews shine as a neutral base with a luscious texture that works perfectly for layering flavors.

Recipe features

• Made with simple pantry-friendly ingredients. Like us, I’m guessing that you almost always have a box of pasta in the cupboard, and the sauce ingredients are mostly shelf-stable, too!
• Perfect for summer. Simplicity calls during the summer months, and this pasta does an excellent job of bringing flavor to the table with minimal ingredients.
• Gluten free and dairy free! Because the sauce is made with a cashew cream base, there’s no dairy or flour required.

Ingredients and substitutions

You can find the full list of ingredients, along with measurements, in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations for easy swaps and substitutions!

This simple pasta is made with just a handful of fresh ingredients.

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need to make this recipe:

GF pasta

This brand makes our favorite gluten free pasta. The texture is so on point I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve served it to non-gluten-free folks, and they had no idea it wasn’t regular pasta.

I love shells for this recipe but feel free to use any pasta shape you like! Fettuccine, fusili, penne, or rigatoni are all great options.

Sweet corn

You can use either fresh or frozen sweet corn to make this pasta.

If using fresh corn: Cut it off the cob and add to the pasta cooking water 1-2 minutes before draining. Alternatively, you can boil the corn on the cob before cutting it off and add it directly to the skillet with the cooked pasta and the sauce. Leftover grilled corn would also be delicious!

Raw cashews

Raw cashews are the secret ingredient that makes the sauce in this pasta dish so creamy and delicious. Soaking them in advance will save some time during the cooking process.

Flavor-boosting ingredients for the sauce

After soaking the raw cashews, you’ll blend them with a flavorful mix of sautéed garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make the decadent sauce.

Fresh basil

Added at the end for a complementary bright green summery flavor. I also like adding some fresh chives – herbs are not necessary, but they add a nice touch!

How to make creamy dairy free corn pasta

After soaking the cashews, this recipe comes together in just 20 minutes! You’ll need a high-speed blender to make the cashew cream sauce, but besides that, the kitchen tools needed are very simple.

Step 1: Soak the cashews

Soak raw cashews in just boiled water in a heat proof bowl for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. If you’re in a hurry, you can simmer the cashews on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes until they are pale and plump.

Step 2: Cook the pasta and corn

Cook pasta according to package instructions, undercooking by about 1 minute (it will continue to cook more in the sauce). Add corn during the last minute of cook time. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water to use for thinning the sauce later in the recipe. Drain and set aside.

Step 3: Make the sauce

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy sauce. Saute garlic in olive oil until tender and fragrant. Add it and the olive oil it cooked in to a blender with the remaining sauce ingredients. Set the skillet aside for the next step. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, with no pieces of cashew remaining.

Step 4: Combine pasta, corn, and sauce

Add cooked pasta and corn to the skillet over medium low heat. Pour in creamy sauce and stir to combine. Stir frequently until the sauce and pasta are warmed through and sauce evenly coats the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with basil and chives if desired!

Expert tips

• Soak your cashews before blending. When making anything with cashew cream, you’ll want to soak the cashews before blending for the silkiest texture. 30 minutes in just boiled water should be the minimum, an hour is great if you can. If you’re crunched for time, take a shortcut and simmer them on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes!
• Thin the sauce as needed. Cashew cream sauces tend to thicken quickly over heat and once cooled. But unlike sauces made with dairy, a cashew cream sauce can easily be thinned with a bit of liquid. Reserved pasta water, broth, or dairy free milk can all be used.
• Season generously. After tossing the sauce with the pasta and corn, the final step (before adding garnishes, that is!) should be seasoning to taste with salt and pepper to properly highlight the other flavors in the dish.
• Use a large skillet. To make you have enough space to toss everything together. The more surface area, the easier it will be to stir and warm!

Storage and reheating

To store in the refrigerator: Allow to cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container before moving to the fridge. It should keep for up to 5 days.

To reheat: This pasta can easily be reheated in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat on the stovetop. However you reheat, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of water or broth to the pasta as cashew cream sauces tend to thicken in the refrigerator.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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