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Creamy Corn, Cherry Tomato and Green Beans with Pasta and Fresh Herbs

  • Author: Mary Leir

Ingredients

Scale
  • Fine sea salt
  • 12 ounces dry penne pasta
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, keeping whites and greens separate
  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 8 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (6 cups kernels)
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes (Sun Golds in you can)
  • 1/2 cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • Fresh lemon juice, as needed

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  2. In a large skillet with a lid bring 1/2 cup salted water to a boil. Add beans and cover, cooking until crisp-tender, 3 – 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut into pieces about the same size as the penne.
  3. Heat oil in large heavy bottom pan over medium heat; add scallion whites, pine nuts and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes.
  4. Add 3 cups corn kernels and garlic along with 1/2 cup dry white wine; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a blender, add nutritional yeast, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little pasta water if needed.
  5. Heat the same pan over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add remaining corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add green beans and Sun Golds cherry tomatoes. Pour in the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
  6. Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and some of the reserved pasta cooking water (if needed), tossing to coat. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, chopped herbs, red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.
  7. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.