This 15-minute side dish is savory, satisfying, and full of flavor! Blackened Corn is made in a cast iron skillet using frozen corn, a homemade seasoning blend, and optional toppings like fresh cilantro and cojita cheese!
Blackened Corn is an easy side dish that’s perfect for summer when fresh corn is in season or winter when you’re craving comfort food.
With a Mexican street corn vibe, it pairs perfectly with my Mexican taco meatloaf and Mexican skillet recipe.
I use my go-to blackening blend, the same one from my blackened pork chops and my blackened cod. No matter the season, this bold and flavorful corn is an easy way to spice up any meal!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- 15 minutes is all you need to get this easy side dish on the table!
- If you're looking for an inexpensive (CHEAP) side dish that tastes expensive, this is it!
- Blackening transforms regular sweet corn into toasty and bold-flavored corn.
- This is the perfect recipe to use as a guide, but ultimately, make it your own. Play around with the spice blend, add some heat, and change up your toppings!
Ingredients
- Corn: I prefer to use frozen corn. You can use fresh corn from the cob, it will just cook a little faster. I don't recommend canned corn because it's packed in water and ends up holding a lot of that water.
- Seasonings: The seasonings that you will need to make the blackening blend are smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt.
- Toppings: Get creative with the charred corn toppings! I like to use fresh cilantro, fresh green onions, lime juice, feta cheese, or cojita cheese.
Equipment needed
- Cast iron skillet - A cast iron skillet is a must-have for this recipe. It's a must-have piece of equipment for any blackening recipe! If you don't already have one, I recommend investing in a 15" Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.
How to make Blackened Corn
Step 1: Make the seasoning blend by mixing the paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Melt butter in your cast iron skillet over low heat. Pour the frozen corn into the hot skillet. Spread the corn out into an even layer in the skillet. Cook the corn on medium-low for 5 minutes, without moving the corn around.
Step 3: Increase the heat to medium, and start to blacken the corn for another 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use a spatula to move the corn around to see if it has started to blacken.
If the corn is black on the side that was touching the skillet, then you can mix the corn around the pan and continue cooking for a few more minutes. If it's not black enough yet, then don't mix the corn around. Continue cooking the corn until it's charred to your liking.
Step 4: Turn off the heat and mix the seasoning blend into the corn.
Step 5: Add any additional optional toppings! I like to add feta or cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Variations and substitutions
- Corn: Frozen corn is the best option with this recipe, but I know you'll be making this Blackened Corn recipe in August when fresh, sweet, corn on the cob is abundant! So freshly cut corn kernels that are cut off of the cob will also work.
- Cheese: You can top charred corn with feta cheese or cotija cheese. Feta and cotija both taste very similar. I find that cotija cheese is slightly drier and saltier than feta. I prefer cotija, but if you can't find it, feta is the substitute you want to use!
- Seasoning: Blackening blends can vary. Feel free to add cayenne pepper (if you like the heat), chili powder, dried basil, dried thyme, and ground cumin to your seasoning blend. You can also purchase a blackening blend or a cajun seasoning blend.
- Toppings: In addition to the toppings that I list in my recipe card below, you could try adding cooked and crumbled, bacon, diced bell peppers, sour cream or crema, fresh parsley, fresh green onions, fresh chives, or hot sauce.
What to serve with blackened corn
Blackened Corn is the Taco Tuesday creative side dish that you've been searching for! I love to serve this easy side with my Taco Meatloaf Recipe.
I would also suggest serving blackened skillet corn with shrimp, beef, or chicken tacos, fajitas, green chicken enchiladas, taco soup, taco salad, Spanish rice, refried beans, sweet potato enchiladas, or using it as a nacho topping!
Storage and reheating
- How to store: Store leftovers in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- How to reheat: Reheat leftover skillet corn in the microwave or on a skillet on the stovetop over low heat. The corn will reheat in only a few minutes. Add fresh toppings when you're ready to serve it again.
Frequently asked questions
No, you don't need to boil corn before charring. You can add your pan to a hot skillet, straight from the freezer.
You can char corn in a cast iron skillet. You will want a non-enameled cast-iron skillet.
To remove fresh corn from the cob, hold your cob up vertically. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn off of the cob, starting at the top and slicing towards the bottom.
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If you tried this Blackened Corn Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Mexican Blackened Corn (with frozen corn)
This 15-minute side dish is savory, satisfying, and full of flavor! Blackened Corn is made in a cast iron skillet using frozen corn, a homemade seasoning blend, and optional toppings like fresh cilantro and cojita cheese!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: blackening, pan-frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 16 ounces frozen corn
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional: Fresh cilantro, feta or cotija cheese, lime juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt together. This is your blackening seasoning blend.
- Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over low heat. Pour the frozen corn into the hot skillet. Spread the corn out into an even layer. Let the corn cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, without moving the corn around the skillet.
- Increase the heat to medium, and continue cooking the corn for another 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use a spatula to see if the corn has blackened. If the corn is not yet charred enough for your liking, continue cooking the corn for a few more minutes. Even though this is called blackened corn, the corn will be toasty and golden brown, not completely black and burnt. Keep an eye on your corn so that you don't let it burn.
- Once the corn is blackened, turn off the heat. Mix in the blackening seasoning blend.
- Add any additional toppings! I like to add feta or cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Notes
- Corn: Frozen corn is the best option with this recipe, but I know you'll be making this Blackened Corn recipe in August when fresh, sweet, corn on the cob is abundant! Freshly cut corn kernels, that are cut off of the cob, will also work.
- Cheese: Feta and cotija both taste very similar. I find that cotija cheese is slightly drier and saltier than feta. I prefer cotija, but if you can't find it, feta is the substitute you want to use!
- Seasoning: Blackening blends can vary. Feel free to add cayenne pepper (if you like the heat), chili powder, dried basil, dried thyme, and ground cumin to your seasoning blend.
- Toppings: In addition to the toppings that I list in my recipe, you could try adding cooked and crumbled, bacon, diced bell peppers, sour cream or crema, fresh parsley, or hot sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 113
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 172.7 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.8 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 3.8 mg
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