After trying this ultra-tasty and flavourful pan-fried Mexican-inspired corn dish, you will not want to eat corn any other way.
Corn never tasted so good
After having a look at the ingredients list, you’re probably thinking ‘what the?!’ Yes, I know, it’s a little unusual. However, everything comes together brilliantly! This Mexican-inspired corn is a flavour bomb. It’s sweet, savoury, and fresh with a little spicy kick.
Whenever I’ve served this Mexican Corn at barbecues, it grabs a lot of attention. Our friends and family would compliment us on how much they love the corn side dish. Many have also asked for the recipe.
I’m constantly searching for side dishes that look and taste great, even if it’s been sitting at the table for a couple of hours. This Mexican Corn does this job perfectly! Unlike some salads or side dishes, it doesn’t wilt or look dry. Also, it still tastes fantastic when served at room temperature.
I used fresh corn and shaved off the kernels, but for convenience, frozen or canned corn would work too.
The corn is pan-fried until charred with butter, honey, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. It’s then tossed with red onions, jalapenos, coriander and lime juice. It’s then topped with Cotija cheese, but I used feta instead as it’s hard to find here.
I love serving this Mexican Corn with roast chicken, and whenever we have a barbecue.
I seriously LOVE corn!
My parents never had to force me to eat corn when I was a kid because I absolutely loved it. My love for corn had me eating it straight from its tin. I did this often when I was a poor uni student, and my friends would playfully tease me because they thought my tin-eating corn habit was gross. That’s probably because I drank the corn water too…haha, just joking!
Do you often get corn stuck between your teeth? I do when I have it on the cob. Seriously, if I have something stuck on my teeth, I can’t concentrate on anything else but that damn thing that’s in my teeth. That’s why corn served like this is better for someone like me!
Fresh, frozen or canned?
Although it can be expensive and requires longer prep time, I prefer to use fresh corn. It’s faster to char and like most fresh produce, it tastes better. However, in saying that, you will still get delicious results when using canned and frozen corn with the bonus of convenience and affordability.
Is Mexican Corn spicy?
This dish has a little kick, but it obviously depends on your heat tolerance. I find jalapeno peppers mild, especially if they’re seeded. There’s also ground cayenne pepper in this dish, and this is what mostly where the kick is from. If you would like a mild dish, omit the cayenne pepper and remove all the seeds from the jalapeno.
More delicious side dishes to try:
Roasted Potatoes on Creamy Aioli
Potato pea and halloumi salad
Roast beetroot & pine nut salad
Salt and vinegar smashed potatoes
Ingredients for Mexican Corn
Corn – I prefer using fresh corn kernels for this recipe, but frozen and canned ones will also work. If using canned corn, drain all the water from the kernels. There’s no need to defrost frozen corn before use.
Crumbled fetta – Cotija, a hard Mexican cheese, is difficult to get here, so I used fetta (feta) which has a similar taste profile, being salty and milky.
Jalapeños – I find fresh jalapeños are mild in heat, especially without the seeds, but it provides a nice flavour. To spice the dish up, I added ground cayenne peppers, but if you like your Mexican corn mild, omit it.
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How to make Mexican Corn
Step-by-step guide with photos
If using fresh corn, remove the husk and all the stringy bits. Give them a wash, then stand the corn upright and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place in the corn and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the corn chars lightly. Add in the butter and stir to melt, then add in the honey, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Stir the corn for a minute, then have a taste and some salt or pepper to your liking if needed. Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the jalapeno, onions, coriander and lime juice. Transfer the corn to a serving plate and sprinkle cheese on top with a little more coriander for garnish. Serve the Mexican Corn warm or at room temperature.
Leftovers – Allow the corn to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge. The Mexican corn should be good for up to 3 to 4 days.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
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Cheers – Cat T
Mexican corn
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 850 gm corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned) (NOTE 1)
- 20 gm unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp honey (or 1 tbsp brown sugar)
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (omit or adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large jalapeno pepper (seeded, diced finely) (NOTE 2)
- ½ small red onion (diced finely)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup crumbled Cotija or fetta cheese (NOTE 3)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using fresh corn, remove the husk and all the stringy bits. Give them a wash, then stand the corn upright and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place in the corn and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the corn chars lightly. Add in the butter and stir to melt, then add in the honey, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Stir the corn for a minute, then have a taste and some salt or pepper to your liking if needed. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the jalapeno. onions, coriander and lime juice. Transfer the corn to a serving plate and sprinkle cheese on top with a little more coriander for garnish. Serve the Mexican Corn warm or at room temperature.
