Adapted from Food & Wine’s Corn Carbonara

There are recipes that surprise you.

At first glance, corn and pasta don’t seem like they’d belong together. Then you take one bite and suddenly understand why people rave about this dish.

Creamy without feeling heavy, smoky from the bacon, naturally sweet from fresh summer corn, and brightened with plenty of Parmesan, this has quickly become one of those recipes I’ll make again and again. I made one small change that I think makes a big difference—I added sautéed sweet onion. It melts right into the sauce and gives the entire dish another layer of flavor without overpowering the beautiful sweetness of the corn.

If you’re looking for a recipe that tastes like late summer in a bowl, this is it.

Serve it with crusty bread, a simple salad, and a glass of crisp white wine, and you’ll understand why this has earned a permanent place in my recipe collection.

Enjoy!

— Karen

Fresh Corn Carbonara with Bacon & Sweet Onion

Adapted from Food & Wine’s Corn Carbonara

Ingredients

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until just al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1½ cups of the pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, place the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the skillet.

Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Stir in the corn kernels and cook another 3–4 minutes, just until tender. If desired, stir in the butter for an even silkier sauce.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, and 1¼ cups Parmesan cheese. Add several generous turns of freshly cracked black pepper.

Transfer the drained spaghetti directly to the skillet with the corn and onions. Toss well.

Remove the skillet from the heat.

Slowly pour in the egg and cheese mixture while tossing the pasta continuously. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce becomes glossy, creamy, and coats every strand of pasta.

Fold in the crispy bacon.

Taste and season with additional salt if needed.

Serve immediately topped with the remaining Parmesan, chopped parsley, and another crack of black pepper.

Karen’s Tip

Fresh summer corn is what makes this dish truly shine. If it’s in season, don’t substitute frozen—you’ll taste the difference. And don’t skip the sweet onion. It quietly rounds out the flavors and makes the sauce even more irresistible.

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4–6