Moving on from Mealime? Start here ↗
Cheesy Penne with Zucchini, Corn & Basil, plated

Mealime recipe · lives on in MealPot

Cheesy Penne with Zucchini, Corn & Basil

  • 30 min
  • 2–6 servings
  • 635 kcal / serving

A cozy penne dish with zucchini, corn, and fresh basil folded into a tomato sauce, finished with mozzarella and Parmesan. It comes together quickly for weeknights, with a creamy-sliced cheese touch and bright herb notes.

Add to MealPot

Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.

Pasta & Pizza

Ingredients

  • 1 small pkgfresh basil
  • ½ cupfrozen corn
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • ⅓ (8 oz) blockmozzarella cheese
  • 1 ozParmesan cheese
  • 6 ozpenne pasta
  • 1 (8 oz) cantomato sauce
  • ½ mediumyellow onion
  • 1 mediumzucchini squash
  • yellow onions

From the pantry: black pepper, crushed red pepper, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, dried, salt

Cookware

can opener · chef's knife · colander · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · grater · large pot · measuring cups · measuring spoons · nonstick skillet · spatula · stirring spoon

Directions

  1. Boil water in a large pot, salt it, and drop in the penne. Cook until just tender, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a light coating of olive oil once it’s hot.
  3. Dice the onion and mince the garlic, then add them to the skillet and cook until the onion softens and the garlic becomes fragrant, 3–4 minutes.
  4. Stir in the frozen corn and cook until it’s heated through and slightly tender, about 3–4 minutes, then add the sliced zucchini and the aromatics. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes.
  5. Lower the heat and pour in the tomato sauce. Simmer a couple minutes to blend the flavors, then fold in the grated Parmesan and mozzarella and the torn basil, reserving a little basil for garnish.
  6. Combine the sauce and veggies with the cooked pasta in the pot or skillet, mixing until everything is coated and cheese is melted. Serve with a sprinkle of the reserved basil.
  7. Optional serving note: season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper to taste, and enjoy.

Two tips

  • Prep the basil leaves earlier and keep them dry for quick chopping just before finishing.
  • Leftovers can be reheated with a splash of water or tomato sauce to loosen the dish and restore creaminess.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
635 kcal
Protein
29 g
Carbs
84 g
Fat
21 g
Fiber
7 g
Sodium
267 mg

Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.

PLAN THE WEEK

One of 1,676 Mealime recipes in MealPot.

Pick five dinners, MealPot writes one grocery list sorted by aisle and scales every recipe to your household.

Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition are recorded from the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). Photo: MealPot, an AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish. Description and directions written by MealPot.

THE WEEKLY EMAIL

Don’t think, just cook.

Five dinners every Friday morning: cook big at the weekend, coast midweek. One planning tip. A little less wondering what to cook.