This Cheesy Corn Orzo Pasta Is Ready in Just 30 Minutes
I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for easy weeknight dinner recipes. My favorite ones can be made in 30 minutes or less, and make use of ingredients I already have in my pantry. Lucky for me, Kelsey Lynch’s recipe for cheesy corn summer orzo pasta checks off both these boxes.
Kelsey posted a quick video on TikTok that goes over the basic steps, but you’re going to want to head to her website for the full recipe. In the recipe post, Kelsey credits fellow TikTok creator Zoe Barrie for the original recipe, although Zoe’s recipe calls for baking the corn and cheese mixture in the oven (like the TikTok-famous baked feta pasta), while Kelsey’s recipe has you cook it over the stove. Another difference is that Kelsey uses frozen corn, while Zoe uses fresh corn.
To make the dish, place a round of Boursin cheese and frozen roasted corn in a baking dish. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, then bake in the oven at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook orzo pasta over the stove according to the package instructions. After baking, mix the corn and cheese together, then add the pasta and mix to combine. Add lemon juice and stir a bit more, then serve with chopped basil sprinkled over top.
While she bakes the corn and cheese for about 18 minutes, for a gooier pasta, she recommends baking it for longer. Some optional additions Kelsey recommends are balsamic glaze drizzled over top and shrimp or chicken for added protein.
I like that this dish is straightforward to make and uses shelf-stable (and frozen!) ingredients that I can keep on hand for those nights when I don’t have a concrete dinner plan. Even if you don’t have orzo, you can sub in whatever pasta you already have lurking in your kitchen cabinets. And while Kelsey has pegged this as a summer recipe, I love the fact that I can make it anytime I feel ready to.
If you’re looking for more weeknight dinner inspiration that doesn’t take loads of effort, check out our recipes for veggie rice, mahi-mahi tacos, and one-pot jambalaya potatoes.