Charred Corn Mac ‘n’ Cheese
By Ocado
Published on 01 June 2026
Frozen corn is our hero in this pasta dish. Fried straight from the freezer until lightly charred then whizzed into the sauce for a touch of smoky sweetness, it’s super tasty and boosts our veg portion. Serve as a main course tonight, then leftovers as a BBQ side at the weekend.Time and servings
50 minsTotal time
4Servings
10 minsPrep time
40 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 250g macaroni pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300g frozen sweetcorn
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 30g butter
- 30g plain flour
- 600ml milk
- 2 tsp dijon mustard, optional
- 125g extra mature cheddar, grated
- 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced, to serve
- 80g bag salad
Method
Step 1
Heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 8. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 8 mins. Drain and reserve a mugful of water.Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan set over a medium heat. Tip in the frozen sweetcorn and fry until defrosted and beginning to char, stir through the paprika then remove from the heat. Scoop most into a blender and whizz with a splash of pasta cooking water until smooth. Transfer the remaining sweetcorn from the pan to a dish and set both aside.Step 3
Add the butter to the pan and return to the heat then melt over a low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and smelling slightly toasty. Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Once all the milk has been combined, bring to a simmer and whisk until thickened.Step 4
Remove from the heat and stir through the sweetcorn puree, mustard and most of the cheese. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed, then season to taste then scrape into a baking dish.Step 5
Sprinkle the reserved sweetcorn and cheese over the top then cook for 10 mins, until hot through, golden and bubbling.Step 6
Serve with jalapenos and a side salad.