If you’re looking for a quick pasta for kids that feels comforting, creamy and delicious but also sneaks in some vegetables, this sweetcorn pasta is a brilliant one to have in your repertoire.
The sauce is made by blending sweetcorn with onion, parmesan and a little cream to create a smooth, creamy pasta sauce that coats every piece of pasta beautifully. It’s naturally sweet, incredibly comforting and comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
The best part? Because the sauce is blended, the vegetables are completely hidden – which makes this an excellent hidden veg pasta recipe for children who are a bit suspicious of anything colourful on their plate!
For adults, it’s also very easy to take this pasta up a notch. I love finishing mine with crumbled feta and a drizzle of chilli oil, which adds a lovely salty, spicy contrast to the sweetness of the corn.
Simple food that keeps everyone happy – always a win at dinner time!
Why This Sweetcorn Pasta Works So Well
This recipe has become a bit of a favourite in my kitchen because it ticks several important boxes.
- It’s quick and easy – The whole dish comes together in around 20 minutes, which makes it ideal for busy evenings.
- It’s naturally kid-friendly – Sweetcorn has a natural sweetness that children tend to love, and the creamy sauce makes the pasta feel comforting and familiar.
- It hides vegetables beautifully – Blending the sauce creates a smooth texture where the vegetables completely disappear.
- It can easily be upgraded for adults – Adding feta, chilli oil or even crispy bacon turns this into a more grown-up pasta dish.
If you’re always on the hunt for easy dinners for kids, this is definitely one worth trying.
Ingredients for Sweetcorn Pasta
This hidden veg pasta sauce uses simple ingredients that come together to create a surprisingly creamy and flavourful sauce.
- Pasta Short pasta shapes like penne, macaroni or fusilli work best here because they hold onto the sauce nicely.
- Sweetcorn Sweetcorn gives the sauce its natural sweetness and creamy texture once blended. Tinned sweetcorn works perfectly and keeps the recipe quick and convenient.
- Onion Cooking the onion until soft adds savoury depth to the sauce and balances the sweetness of the corn.
- Parmesan Parmesan adds saltiness and richness, helping the sauce taste properly satisfying.
- Double cream A small amount of cream gives the sauce its silky texture and makes it beautifully smooth.
- Olive oil Used to soften the onion and create the base of the sauce.
- Pasta cooking water A splash of pasta water helps loosen the sauce and gives it a silky texture that clings to the pasta.
How to Make Sweetcorn Pasta
This easy sweetcorn pasta recipe comes together quickly and uses just one saucepan for the sauce.
1. Cook the pasta and onion
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve about 50 ml of the cooking water, which will be used in the sauce.
Dice the onion and add it to a saucepan with the olive oil. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add the sweetcorn and parmesan
Drain the sweetcorn and add it to the pan along with the grated parmesan and the reserved pasta water.
Warm everything together for 2–3 minutes.
3. Blend the sauce
Turn off the heat and use a stick blender to blend the mixture until as smooth as you like.
At this stage it will look a little thick – that’s perfectly normal. Return the pan to the heat and stir in the double cream along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Warm gently for another minute.
4. Combine with the pasta
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well until everything is evenly coated.
Serve immediately.
Extra Vegetables You Can Add
This sauce works wonderfully as a hidden veg pasta sauce, and you can easily add more vegetables without changing the flavour too much.
Some good options include:
- carrots
- butternut squash
- pumpkin
- cauliflower
Simply cook the vegetables until soft with the onion before blending the sauce.
Blending everything together keeps the texture smooth and means the vegetables are completely hidden, which is ideal for fussy eaters.
Creamy Sweetcorn Pasta (A Hidden Veg Dinner for Kids!)
Equipment
- large saucepan
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- stick blender
Ingredients
- 400 g dried pasta penne, macaroni or fusilli work well
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 325 g tin sweetcorn drained
- 60 g parmesan grated
- 50 ml double cream
- 50 ml pasta cooking water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional toppings
- Crumbled feta
- Chilli oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve about 50 ml of the pasta cooking water.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the drained sweetcorn, grated parmesan and reserved pasta water. Cook for 2–3 minutes until warmed through.
- Turn off the heat and blend the mixture with a stick blender until completely smooth.
- Return the pan to the heat and stir in the double cream along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and stir well until evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately, optionally topped with crumbled feta and chilli oil.
Notes
Storage and Leftovers
Leftover sweetcorn pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy quick pasta dinners like this one, you might also like:
- Garlic Chilli Prawn Tagliatelle
- Leek and Chorizo Pasta
- Easy One Pot Mac and Cheese
- 4 Ingredient Pea and Cream Cheese Pasta
Or browse my full collection of easy weeknight dinners for more quick meal ideas.