summer

48 Best Corn Recipes to Make All Summer

updated Jul 5, 2024
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Avocado corn salad in serving bowl.
Credit: Kristina Vanni

Summer brings with it so many vegetables that are hard to get enough of. But of all of them, I think it’s safe to say sweet corn is always the one that steals the show. Those sweet, tender-yet-crisp kernels are all too easy to love (especially when they’re grilled!). And since fresh corn is only in season for a couple months a year, we want to get our fill every chance we get.

Picking the perfect ears might seem tricky since you can’t see inside, but when you know what to look for it’s actually quite easy. And there’s no shucking necessary. When sticky black or dark brown tassels; it’s a sign that the the cob is past its prime. The real secret to picking the best corn: look for ears that are firm and heavy for their size, and avoid corn with sticky black or dark brown tassels; it’s a sign that the the cob is past its prime.

As for getting it on the table, well, there are a lot of methods for cooking corn on the cob. And we even found the best way to remove corn silks. And when sweet summer corn is truly in its prime, you don’t even have to cook it. Just cut the kernels from the cob and dig in. From classic corn on the cob to crowd-friendly side dishes to super-seasonal mains to sweet corn desserts, here are 48 fresh corn recipes to get excited about.

Corn on the Cob

You can’t talk about summer corn without talking about corn on the cob that’s cooked simply, slicked with butter, and sprinkled with salt. It’s arguably the most enjoyable way to eat the good stuff. (Although it’s always nice to have a little fun with the classic, too.)

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Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

Of all the ways we cook corn, none is more underrated than roasting.Here's how to make your sweet corn tastier with just your oven — whether it is husk on or off. Try them with our favorite corn on the cob toppings.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob

Sweet corn on the cob is one of the highlights of summer! With its sweet, juicy kernels and satisfying crunch, it’s the quintessential BBQ side dish at summer cookouts.

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Boiled Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a crowd favorite, and you’ll love how easy it is to prepare. If you can boil water, you’re halfway there! Boiled corn on the cob goes well with a wide variety of dishes, from pulled pork to veggie burgers.

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Microwave Corn on the Cob

Want to quickly cook a couple ears of corn on the cob in just a few minutes? Do it in the microwave. Ever since we first talked about this method, the microwave has become our favorite tool for quickly cooking a few ears of corn for a weeknight summer dinner.

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Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Cooking corn in the air fryer results in the most tender-crisp kernel with some lightly charred edges in every sweet bite. It makes a classic summer side that’s easy to partner with almost anything you cooked for dinner.

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Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Don't let the summer season pass without making elote (a.k.a. Mexican street corn), a glorious mess of crema, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob with Vietnamese Scallion Oil

Be warned, this is no ordinary grilled corn. It includes a sweet, umami-rich oil made with scallions, sugar, and fish sauce that bathes the grilled corn for an out of this world side dish for those hot summer days.

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Oven-Roasted Parmesan Corn on the Cob

You’ll make a quick compound butter by mixing softened butter with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic while the corn cobs roast in the oven. Once they’re tender, you’ll immediately slather the aromatic butter over every kernel, then shower more cheese, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper over top.

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Buttery Instant Pot Corn on the Cob

The Instant Pot is our new favorite tool for quick summer dinners. It can cook tender ribs in less than an hour, make shredded beef for quick tacos, and, most surprisingly, cook up corn on the cob to tender, juicy perfection.

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Corn Dips, Salsas, and Appetizers

Strip the corn from its cob and you have endless possibilities. The sweet kernels can be fried up into snack-able fritters, baked into a creamy dip, or simply tossed with other summer vegetables for a fresh and super-seasonal salsa.

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Cheesy Baked Corn Dip

This cheesy corn dip, like many other popular baked dips, uses the trio of cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream to make it impossibly creamy.

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Fresh Corn Salsa with Lime and Cilantro

Corn salsa is a celebration of summer’s bounty, highlighting the natural sweetness of fresh corn in its purest form. Sprinkle it over nachos or mix it into a taco salad.

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Elote Fritters

If you can't get enough of Mexican street corn, we combined all the flavors in one sweet, salty, and crispy fritter. These elote fritters are wonderful as a summer appetizer, but you can also just serve these with a summer salad as a lighter vegetarian meal.

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Cheesy Corn Garlic Bread

This cheesy corn garlic bread is the summer appetizer you need. The bread emerges from the oven bubbling and begging to be served immediately — although, like hot pizza, you might want to wait just a second before digging in.

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Korean Corn Cheese Dip

Any partygoer knows that when there’s a dip around, it will usually be the first thing to go. This Korean corn cheese dip definitely deserves a spot at your next snack-fueled gathering.

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Black Bean Corn Salsa

There's never been a better time to keep tortilla chips in the pantry. Tossed with black beans, lime juice, spicy chipotles, fresh cilantro, fresh summer corn is transformed into a bold, full-flavored salsa you’ll want to eat with everything.

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Crispy Corn Fritters

Making fresh summer corn into crisp corn fritters is one of the fastest ways to turn corn on the cob into a hearty dinner (or breakfast or a snack, really). Corn fritters are essentially a quick corn cake batter studded with fresh corn, spicy jalapeños, and chives.

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Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy caviar is seriously perfect potluck party food — especially in the South, where tailgating season begins before the air turns crisp.

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Corn, Cheese, and Potato Croquettes

Creamy, cheesy, crispy potatoes with little pops of sweet corn? We have no doubt that these little bites will be a summer gathering crowd-pleaser.

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Charred Corn Salsa

Want to take your corn salsa up a notch this summer? Give is a quick char on the grill before mixing it together. Spoon this salsa over everything from grilled romaine hearts to a juicy grilled steak.

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Corn Salads and Side Dishes

When you find yourself with sweet summer corn that’s perfectly crisp and tender, it hardly needs to be cooked; the time is right for a bright and fresh corn salad. For a side the whole table will adore, creamed corn is always a delight.

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Avocado-Corn Salad

Fresh sweet corn, creamy avocado, and juicy tomatoes shine in this flavorful summer side dish.

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Creamed Corn

Sweet corn kernels simmered in butter and heavy cream is better than anything from a can.

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Fresh Corn Salad with Tomato, Basil, and Feta

Simply put, this salad tastes like summer. It's mixed with fresh corn, juicy tomatoes, sweet basil, and salty feta for a simple, refreshing summer salad.

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Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

It has all the sweet, fresh corn flavor you want in snackable form with Mexican crema, crumbly cotija cheese, butter, and Tajín Clasico.

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Black Bean Salad with Corn and Avocado

This classic black bean salad is packed with bright, refreshing flavors like corn, tomatoes, and cilantro, and has a kick from fresh garlic, jalapeño, and red onion. It doubles as a chunky dip for tortilla chips or as a filling for burritos or cheesy quesadillas.

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Fried Corn

This classic Southern side dish can be made with olive oil instead of bacon grease if you’d prefer to keep it vegetarian. It’s reminiscent of creamed corn, minus the cream and the can.

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Charred Corn and Halloumi Salad

From the sweet corn, salty halloumi cheese, and jammy pickled Peppadew peppers, this easy salad is a trifecta of flavors.

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Scalloped Corn

Scalloped corn is a simple sweet corn side that takes the ingredient to new heights with the addition of cream, eggs, and crushed buttery crackers.

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Fresh-Corn Polenta with Butter and Herbs

This summery side dish can be served alongside anything you’d eat with creamy polenta, but it’s also lighter than its cornmeal-based counterpart so it works well seafood as well.

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Jiffy Corn Casserole

Comforting Jiffy corn casserole bakes up with a comforting texture that’s both tender like cornbread and moist like golden corn pudding.

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Thai-Inspired Corn Salad

Fresh corn salad is peak summer food. This flavorful salad pulls in Thai flavors like coconut milk, lime, fish sauce, and Thai basil.

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Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is one of the simplest culinary luxuries of sweet corn kernels simmered in milk and butter. The only way to improve upon the perfection that is stovetop creamed corn is to make it in the slow cooker.

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Butter Bath Corn

Popular in the Midwest, butter bath corn is an easy yet ingenious upgrade to boiled corn. Like steaming or boiling, a butter bath makes for tender corn that has a pleasant pop — and, thanks to the milk and butter, it’s extra sweet and flavorful.

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Butter Bath Corn

There are plenty of ways to cook corn on the cob, but not a single one of them will linger in your subconscious the way butter bath corn does. If the name itself doesn’t convince you, the brilliant technique will.

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Elote-Inspired Butter Bath Corn

It’s no secret that cooking corn in a butter bath is our favorite way to enjoy the sweet summer veggie. Part of the technique’s appeal? It’s adaptable to almost any flavoring. Here we’re inspired by and adding all the elements of elote, or Mexican street corn.

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Hot Honey Butter Bath Corn

Butter bath corn is taken to whole new heights with the addition of sweet honey and fiery red pepper flakes.

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Buffalo Butter Bath Corn

This buffalo wing-inspired butter bath corn, made with beer, butter, and hot sauce, is one of the best BBQ side dishes of summer.

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Garlic and Herb Butter Bath Corn

Boiling sweet summer corn in a butter bath with fresh herbs and garlic makes it taste like your favorite steakhouse side.

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Summer Dinners That Start with Corn

Since corn is really at its best for just a couple of months out of the year, it’s worth showing it off in the main course. It can add surprising crunch and sweetness to pizza, make an impossibly delicious sauce for pasta, and turned into a creamy summer chowder.

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One-Pan Chicken with Charred Corn and Zucchini

Tender pieces of chicken breast are tossed with charred sweet corn and tender summer zucchini.

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Corn Chowder

Corn is at its peak in the summer, and this soup extracts all the flavor possible.

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The Ultimate Summer Pizza

All your favorite summer veggies and feta cheese are piled onto crisp grilled pizza dough that's brushed with garlic-herb oil.

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Corn Carbonara

A summery twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, spaghetti carbonara, with fresh corn, bacon, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

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One-Pot Corn Pasta

This quick and easy pasta dinner is packed with corn, basil, and scallions, tossed with a light and creamy no-cook sauce made with pasta water, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

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Shrimp Boil Skillet

Ditch the big pot and cook everything quickly in a skillet instead. All the tasty sauce is perfect sopped up with crusty bread, buttery cornbread, garlic toast, or rice pilaf to round out the meal.

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Creamy Roasted Garlic Pasta with Zucchini & Corn

Zucchini squash melted down into a creamy, pale green-hued sauce to toss with pasta and lots of fresh corn. Meet your go-to summer pasta.

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Southern-Style Grits with Okra, Corn, and Goat Cheese

A mix of okra, summer corn, and tangy goat cheese give your bowl of grits a fresh, summery topping.

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5-Ingredient Creamy Corn Bucatini with Burrata

This pasta sings warm weather sweetness: It’s got juicy, milky corn; creamy, luscious burrata; and edgy, grassy chives to bring it all into focus.

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Black Bean Tostadas with Coconut-Corn Salsa

Crunchy corn tortillas are topped with refried black beans and a tropical corn salsa for a fun and easy vegetarian dinner.

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Clams with ‘Nduja, Corn and Fennel

Fennel pieces add a fresh crunch to balance all the deep savory flavors in this epic clam dish.

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