The Frozen Veggie Alex Guarnaschelli Loves To Use In Pasta

You might think that frozen veggies are only good for two things: To ice an injury or as a last-minute side dish. However, celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli would beg to differ, because one of her favorite, simple pasta dishes puts frozen corn in the spotlight — and it's a total game-changer. In case you missed it, frozen corn can actually be sweeter than fresh corn, and can be the secret ingredient to a flavorful, delicious pasta.

Frozen corn, to be frank, might not seem the most glamorous ingredient out there. While it's great in a pinch to complete your Mexican street corn recipe, it's not the first thing you'd think to add to your pasta. However, Guarnaschelli's Corn Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes allows you to get the flavors of summer corn during any season. "If you're feeling in the mood for corn in February, let's face it, there's not many ways to get there," Guarnaschelli said on a March 2022 episode of "The Kitchen." "You gotta go to the freezer."

How to make Alex Guarnaschelli's corn pasta with sun-dried tomatoes

The pasta features a few simple ingredients that take the frozen corn from an overlooked bag in your freezer to the star of the show on your plate. And, as it turns out, it's fairly simple to prepare. First and foremost, you don't even have to defrost or drain your corn since the water will just cook out anyway.

Frozen corn can also be versatile in this dish when it comes down to texture. While you can leave your corn sauce with whole kernels for a more rustic feel, Guarnaschelli recommends blending it before adding it to your pasta for a creamy, velvety texture. 

You can even incorporate frozen corn into your pasta without making a creamy, blended sauce. It can be tossed with noodles, vegetables, and a tomato sauce to add a sweet bite, or it can be added to a summery pasta salad for a low-effort meal. And while you can easily make these dishes with fresh corn when it's in season, the frozen corn allows you to make it at any point in the year — because why restrict a good thing?