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 healthy and 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 wheat 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.

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!

Recipe variations

The simple sauce for this pasta is an excellent canvas for plenty of substitutions and variations options!

Additional vegetables

You could add some other veggies in addition to the corn to amp up the nutritional content or swap them out entirely for the corn.

Some fitting additions or substitutions could be:

• Sweet peas – If using frozen peas, they can be treated exactly the same as the corn in the recipe – adding about 1 minute before draining the pasta.
• Sautéed zucchini – In a separate skillet, sauté zucchini for 5-6 minutes until tender, and then add to the pasta at the same time you add the pasta, corn, and sauce.
• Broccoli – Fresh broccoli florets can be added to the pasta water 3-4 minutes before draining the pasta.
• Spinach – Baby spinach can be added to the skillet with the pasta and sauce and simmered until wilted.

Protein

Adding some of your favorite protein to this recipe is an excellent way to make it a complete meal.

Some tasty options could be:

• Baked chicken breast – After baking, slice or dice and toss with the pasta or serve on top.
• Pan seared shrimp – The simple seasoning blend on this Pan Seared Shrimp recipe is the perfect match for the flavors in this pasta dish.
• Bacon – Because bacon, sweet corn, and basil are a match made in heaven! For easy clean up, make your bacon in the oven and crumble it over the top or stir it into the pasta just before serving.

Other swaps and additions

If you want to jazz up your pasta a little more, you can add some other tempting ingredients like your favorite fresh herbs, scallions (green onions), chili flakes, or make this 5-ingredient Dairy Free Parmesan Cheese for a savory dairy free parmesan cheese alternative!

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

Once you’ve made this pasta, you may have leftovers you want to store and reheat later. Here are some tips to help you store and reheat properly:

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.

Can you freeze pasta?

Generally speaking, I do not recommend freezing pasta dishes, especially gluten free pasta. The noodles may lose their integrity and be overly soft once thawed.

Love this pasta? Try these other flavorful recipes!

• Healthy Chicken Sausage Pasta
• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Vegan Mexican Taco Pasta
• Easy Pesto Pasta
• Creamy Vegan Vodka Pasta Sauce
• Cashew Cream Mushroom and Kale Pasta
• Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
• Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
• Nut Free Vegan Mac and Cheese

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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