Orecchiette With Corn and Spinach!! Whether you are using up your last sweet summer corn or using frozen corn, this simple, easy and absolutely delicious pasta comes together in no time at all!
It’s Labor Day weekend and we are so excited! We are going to hang out with friends, grill and EAT. If you are firing up the grill and throwing on some protein, you’ll need a delicious pasta side dish to go with it!
Orecchiette With Corn and Spinach
If you have fresh, sweet summer corn, you should absolutely use that . . but the great thing about this recipe? This pasta dish can be made any time of the year! To test that, I used frozen corn and the dish still came out beautifully.
Like any pasta, this dish is super versatile: don’t have spinach? Throw in some kale or basil. Feel free to use different pasta: fusilli or farfalle also work great! If you have some more veggies like summer squash or zucchini, feel free to saute that up too! What I love about cooking is that you adapt. You tweak, you add what you have and you cook! Feel free to add feta cheese, crushed hot pepper flakes, you name it! I hope you try it!
Orecchiette With Corn and Spinach
Orecchiette With Corn and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 to 6 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 6 oz. cremini mushrooms sliced
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- extra virgin olive oil
- a few torn basil leaves
- crushed hot pepper flakes optional for some heat
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until it is just short of al dente, for about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving a 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and set aside.
- In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn and cook for a few minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add in the fresh spinach. Mix and let the spinach cook down.
- Add in the cooked orecchiette pasta. Stir together and add in a little less than a 1/4 cup (only if needed) of the reserved pasta water (start with a 1/4 cup of water and add more if needed) and toss everything together again. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and mix again. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Scatter some fresh basil on top and add crushed hot pepper flakes if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Tweaked this NY Times recipe
What do you eat this with? I am concerned with the amount of protein I would get from this meal (it looks amazing), but don’t know what to pair it with?
Thanks
Hi Anita! You can pair this with a grilled steak or chicken, pork or salmon. . it can really accompany anything!