Creamed Corn Mac and Cheese with Tomato Salsa
By OcadoLife
Published on 27 May 2026
OcadoLife food editor Lauren Hoffman takes a classic up a gear with her budget-friendly Creamed Corn Mac and Cheese with Tomato Salsa. It’s a buttercup-yellow bake with sunshine in every bite, thanks to the decadent creamy sauce and golden corn topping. Add a three-ingredient tomato salsa to cut through the richness.
Time and servings
1 hrTotal time
8Servings
10 minsPrep time
50 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 60g unsalted butter, plus 1 tsp
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 (340g) tins sweetcorn, drained
- 1 litre semi-skimmed milk, plus 2 tbsp
- 350g macaroni
- 60g plain flour
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 250g extra-mature cheddar, grated
- 500g baby vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 15g basil, leaves shredded
Method
Step 1
Heat the olive oil and 1 tsp butter in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the paprika, then add the corn and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and starting to blister.Step 2
Reserve a third of the corn for the topping, then blitz the rest with 2 tbsp milk until smooth.Step 3
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas 6. Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than pack instructions.Step 4
Meanwhile, wipe the corn pan clean and return to the heat with the remaining butter. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 mins or until you have a thick paste that comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat, switch to a small whisk, and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, whisking for 5-8 mins until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (it won’t be as thick as a regular white sauce.)Step 5
Stir in the blended corn, cook for 1 min more, then remove from the heat. Stir in the mustard and most of the cheese until melted and smooth. Season generously.Step 6
Drain the pasta, reserving a mug of the water. Stir the pasta into the sauce and mix until evenly coated, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen. Spoon over the reserved corn, then scatter with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 mins until bubbling and golden.Step 7
For the salsa, combine the tomatoes, basil and extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl with a big pinch of sea salt; set aside to let the flavours mingle while the macaroni cheese cooks.Step 8
Remove the macaroni cheese from the oven and leave to stand for 10 mins. Serve with the salsa on the side for spooning over.