Three Recipes With Fresh Summer Corn
Greta Caruso and Fanny Singer are longtime friends who happened to have their first kids within a month of each other in 2022. Since they’d both spent years cooking and writing recipes professionally, they figured that feeding their children would be easy enough. But “we were shocked to discover how challenging it was,” Greta told us, “even with all that experience under our belts.” To help themselves and other exhausted parents, the duo set up a weekly newsletter called The Green Spoon, which features simple, seasonal food for families.
As a fan of their newsletter, I asked Greta and Fanny if they’d be up for sharing summery recipes. I especially love their issues on vegetables (most recently, peas), so they suggested putting together three dishes starring corn. “We love peak-season corn for lots of reasons,” Fanny said. “It flexes sweet and savory, it runs the gamut between crunchy and creamy, it can be used in a bazillion ways, and, crucially, it generally appeals to every member of the family, from toothless new eaters to discerning adults.”
So! Without further ado, here are their three recipes…
Creamy Corn Pesto
Yields 2 cups of sauce and 4-8 servings of pasta
For kids, a boiled, butter-slathered ear of corn offers a fantastic distraction while the rest of dinner is being cooked. But if you’re looking for more of a family meal, we recommend this creamy corn pesto pasta.
1 pound of dried pasta, your choice of shape (we like penne or ziti for this sauce, but long shapes work well, too!)
extra virgin olive oil
7 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut off (why did it take us so long to discover this genius lay flat method for removing kernels?)
1 tablespoon of butter (optional)
big handful of fresh basil leaves (~15)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
sea salt
Put a pot of salted water on to boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. (The sauce comes together in about the same time as it takes for the pasta to cook, so once the water is on, you can dive right into the next step.)
Add a glug of olive oil to the bottom of a pan and turn the burner to medium-low. Add the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until it’s just starting to color and grow fragrant.
Add the corn straight away along with the butter (if using), basil and a splash of water. Stir to combine the ingredients and cover the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes and adding a splash of water if the mixture starts to stick to the pan at all.
When it’s ready, the corn should be bright yellow and a bit soft. Scrape the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. (Add a teeny splash of water if it feels too thick.)
Right before you strain the pasta, reserve ~½ cup of cooking liquid in a mug. Toss the pasta with the sauce and a splash of cooking liquid to coat the noodles thoroughly. Finish with some freshly torn basil, a generous grating of Parmesan (if using!) and salt, to taste. Serve promptly.
Note: if you happen to have a baby to feed, this pasta sauce doubles as a great chunky puree for new eaters. Just set some aside before adding any additional salt to the rest of the batch.
Charred Corn Bean Tacos
Yields 6–8 tacos, depending on size
We couldn’t love the flavor or texture of charred corn more, but grilling, man…such a production! Thankfully there’s an easy way to fake it with a gas stove, five minutes and a will to succeed. Once the corn is charred, we tuck it into some pinto bean tacos with all the fixins: a super simple, riffable dinner that everyone will enjoy.
2 ears of corn, shucked
extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, minced
1 15 oz. can of pinto beans, strained and rinsed (or homemade, of course)
2 limes
sea salt
6–8 corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Queso fresco or mild feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Start by charring your corn over a burner on your stove (see photos), rotating the ear with tongs to achieve your preferred state of charred. (We like it 1-2 notches below burnt to hell, but to each his own). Set aside to cool. If you’re someone who has an electric stove — congratulations! You’re doing something good for the planet! — you can achieve something similar by cranking your oven’s broiler to max and placing the shucked ears on a sheet pan directly under the element, rotating every couple of minutes until you brown all sides.
In a pan, add a glug of olive oil and turn the burner to medium. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and just starting to crisp up. Add the beans, the juice of ½ a lime and a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, letting the beans soften and the flavors marry.
Once the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob using this lay flat method.
Warm your tortillas through directly over your stove burner using tongs, then assemble your tacos. We love to finish ours with fresh cilantro and a bit of crumbled queso fresco (or feta, in a pinch!), but they are also delicious with chopped fresh tomatoes, roasted zucchini, hot sauce, no hot sauce, shredded cabbage and basically anything else you can think of. Dig in!
Cheesy Corn Dinner Muffins
Yields 14 muffins, depending on your muffin tin
This cornbread recipe is a twist on a classic with the addition of Greek yogurt, grated cheese and fresh corn. We love a finer milled cornmeal for these — our absolute favorite is the heritage Anson Mills fine yellow cornmeal — as it gives them a consistency slightly more refined than the coarser crumb of typical cornbread. They’re moist and soft and make a perfect snack or side at dinner served warm with butter.
2 ½ cups of fine cornmeal (you can also sift a coarser grind cornmeal)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup granulated coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tablespoon of baking soda
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup whole milk
1 cup grated mild cheddar
1 cup fresh corn cut off the cob using the lay-flat method we can’t stop talking about (about 2 small ears’ worth)
Neutral oil (for greasing the muffin tin)
Mix dry ingredients together (cornmeal, salt, coconut sugar, baking powder, and baking soda) in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix eggs and yogurt. Add the lemon juice to the milk and allow it to sit for 2–3 minutes, then add it to the yogurt-egg mixture and whisk vigorously to combine. Add the cheese and corn to the wet ingredients and stir.
Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing well.
Put about ¼ cup of batter in each greased muffin cup and place in preheated oven for about 18 minutes until golden brown. A knife inserted should come out pretty clean. Enjoy!
Thank you, Fanny and Greta! We love The Green Spoon. xo
P.S. Five things to do with corn, tomatoes, or both and a three-ingredient summer dessert.
Comments
47 commentsI have made this corn pesto pasta a few times since this recipe was published. It’s a huge hit in my house. I’m currently meal planning and stopped by to make this yet again. I’ve started adding in a block of tofu to the sauce to up the protein. Highly recommend.
Just made Barefoot Contessa’s corn chowder, so yummy: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cheddar-corn-chowder-recipe-1940973.
About to make the muffins. Sorry if I missed it but what temperature should the oven be set to?
I tried your creamy corn pesto and I just loved it! What a great new way to enjoy fresh corn!
Do you think the creamy corn pesto can be made a day ahead of the day we will serve it? C. Fair
Corn tip! I received the Oxo corn peeler (https://www.oxo.com/oxo-corn-prep-peeler.html) as a gift for Christmas a while back and wow, it makes getting corn off the cob so much easier and less messy! I hate uni-tools usually as a rule and end up donating things like this that I get as gifts but this one happily lives in my drawer and comes out every summer!
All those recipes looks so fun and simple for summer! I can’t believe I have been making this recipe for 15 years now! I love this pizza recipe in the summer when corn and tomatoes are in season! https://eggsonsunday.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/corn-bacon-tomato-and-basil-pizza/
Excited to try the muffins tonight, but am I missing the oven temperature in that recipe??
I found another recipe that shows 400! I am going to try that.
Thinly slicing your garlic for it to end up processed in food processor is a needless affectation. Rough chop or mince and you’re good to go!
I dont even cook and I am bookmarking this!
Every summer when ears are 8/$1 I cut some extra kernels off the cob and stash them in a tall yogurt container at the back of my freezer. I find they retain the spirit of summer more successfully than frozen corn from the store. All of these recipes – esp the muffins – would be a great use for my buried treasure! Bookmarked for February.
The pasta looks incredible – especially being creamy without needing heavy cream or milk. I am not a huge fan of cooking but I think that recipe is right in my lane.
My fave corn recipe is corn purée. It takes 5minutes. Microwave a bag of frozen kernels until soft. Add lots of butter, salt and chili flakes. Blitz. The end. Goes magically under grilled meats or halloumi or in tacos or as a dip.
Omg- it has the juice! That is taking me back!
Hahahaa never forget!!
Wow wish this had been posted 24 hours ago! Just used our 3 ears of corn from our CSA box to make corn chowder (also used up potatoes in the box, and leftover bacon that had been sitting around in the fridge). Corn pesto sounds delicious!!
Reading this while eating my favorite fast dinner with corn for the summer: sautee shrimp in a little olive oil with scallions, fresh basil, and corn. Sprinkle a little sea salt over it right before eating. Delicious and ready in under ten minutes.
Those corn muffins look incredible! I am always looking for ways to expand my 6-year old’s palate and he reliably eats muffins so fingers crossed these will be a hit.
I see Greta founded Good Eggs, which is one of the things I miss most about living in the Bay Area! We survived on their simple and excellent recipes/meal kits after I had my third kid. Instant subscribe to the newsletter, thanks for the heads up.
Wow didn’t know that- Good Eggs really got me through the pandemic when I was living in Berkeley!
I have some farmer’s market garlic scapes so I might add those instead of regular garlic to the corn pesto! And you cannot go wrong with a pinch of Calabrian chili, in my humble opinion.
Re: the corn pesto recipe which I can’t wait to try – how many cups does three cobs translate into, in case of using frozen corn?
About 2–2.25 cups!
These recipes sound wonderful. Thank you. I look forward to trying them and that really says a lot because I mean this when I say I could make this recipe every day of summer and not tire of it. It is simple, amazing, and endlessly riff-able if you like… https://alexandracooks.com/2010/10/18/fresh-corn-polenta-where-have-you-been-all-my-life/
Thanks for sharing this! Ali Stafford is my ride or die for recipes, and I have not yet tried this one. Looking forward to it!
oh yummmmmmm! I have been nagging everyone in my house for more polenta.
That recipe looks truly DELICIOUS! We love adding fresh corn to polenta whenever possible, see further this kid-pleasing “pizza” recipe: https://thegreenspoon.substack.com/p/an-easy-tasty-dinner-for-summer-nights?utm_source=publication-search
With fresh summer corn on the cob, I usually don’t want even butter masking the flavor (I know…blasphemy). But recently I made a salad featuring a cilantro vinaigrette, which shared a plate with said corn on the cob. Well, lines were crossed and the vinaigrette may have snuck its way onto the corn. And the words of Bob Ross…happy accident! The herby, garlicky, savory dressing with the sweet, fresh, corn was delish. Now, I plan meals to have those sides share a plate again. Here’s the dressing recipe: https://www.loveandlemons.com/cilantro-lime-dressing/
Thanks! bookmarked. Lime juice and salt on corn is perfect.
Yesss this reminds me of one of my favorite ways to eat corn – joy the baker’s charred corn with pistachio lime rub https://joythebaker.com/2015/07/charred-corn-with-pistachio-cilantro-lime-rub/
I like to roll charred corn on the cob in salty butter, then pepper it and: roll it again in a plate of crumbled cotija. mmm! I have 4 cobs waiting and will try this cilantro lime dressing instead of the butter step. A final roll in cotija is non-negotiable, lol.
The internet is for corn! I love the look of all of these, especially the muffins, AND find the harmless savagery of shucking quite therapeutic. Noted for my next greenmarket run.
Legitimately almost spit my coffee laughing when I read “the internet is for corn.” 😂
I make this corn and tomato salad from everyone’s favorite, my husband goes NUTS for it. Sometimes I’ll add bread and mozzarella and turn it into a panzanella, sometimes I’ll add beans and feta to make it more substantial, but it’s perfect as is. https://smittenkitchen.com/2024/07/summer-steak-with-corn-and-tomatoes/
I’ve found that adding some corn (fresh or frozen) that has been pureed in a blender with a little water adds great flavor and body to chowders. Also, this recipe from “My Three Seasons” introduced me to the glories of grated corn! It’s simple, light and perfect for summer: https://www.mythreeseasons.com/web-stories/seared-scallops-corn-tomatoes/
Oh, and corn is easier to grate if you break the cob in half first and Sarah has some nice tips for feeding toddlers: https://thewoksoflife.com/what-i-fed-my-toddler-this-week-7-day-meal-plan/
These recipes look DELICIOUS and so easy! I had to laugh bc I just discovered the lay flat method for getting kernels off corn last year! I couldn’t believe that I had I had been doing it the messier standing way for years. Corn pesto pasta for me tonight! Thank you!
Is it truly ludicrous that we’ve all spent decades making huge messes while slicing kernels off the cob. Viva la lay flat method!!
and then the “hack” of cutting the kernals off the cob into a bundt pan! lol, still just as much flying corn, and now my random bundt pan is dirty
Love the recipes! I’m a farmers market devotee, and the veggies are starting to happen, here in Colorado! I order year round from the Boulder County Farmer’s Market. As pantry staples, I have locally grown pinto beans. I’ve mastered cooking them – rinse well – add to instant pot in 5 cups water – pressure cook for one hour. (That’s at 5,200 altitude) Since we’re only two, we use some for dinner, then fill several containers to freeze for our next few taco nights. We also have locally milled cornmeal, so will give those muffins a try! Here’s a favorite easy pasta dish, for when you have corn, tomatoes, and basil. https://www.sunset.com/recipe/ravioli-corn-tomatoes
Love a Boulder County Farmer’s Market shoutout! I will have to look for those beans and try this method!
I can do corn bread, corn muffins, corn tortillas, and Indian pudding but otherwise I realllllly dislike corn. These recipes look good though!
The pasta looks amazing!!
Agreed :) the boys and I are going to make it tonight.
We love these corn fritters – I skip the salsa and we put Greek yogurt and olive oil on them. I also freeze them and they make great snacks! https://www.recipetineats.com/bill-grangers-corn-fritters-avocado-salsa/ I also just love frozen corn in the oven with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and olive oil – they go great in tacos or bowls with black beans and farro and avocado! We made this last night actually – such a hit
Bill Grainger and Nagi two Australian cooking icons. Can’t go wrong with this combination. It is the whizzing that is the game changer.