This Easy Charred Corn is blackened to perfection in a cast iron skillet. It packs a nice smoky heat and is delicious as a side dish or on tacos, nachos, burgers and more. This easy corn recipe comes together in about 20 minutes!
I'm crazy about corn and this blackened corn is one of my favorites. It's cooked in a cast iron skillet, which gives it the perfect toasted charred flavor.
Blackened seasoning along with jalapeño is added in for an extra heat kick. Lime and cilantro are tossed in at the end for a fresh citrus flavor. Try this Blackened Mahi Mahi too!
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Why You'll Love This Charred Corn:
- Incredible Taste. It's loaded with flavor and Mexican Spices.
- Easy. So simple to make all in one skillet
- Quick. This easy corn recipe takes only 20 minutes to make
- A Topping or Side Dish. It is the perfect side, or use it to add flavor to nachos, tacos, quesadillas, burgers, and anything that needs a boost.
Try this Charred corn on chicken tacos, quesadillas or veggie nachos with my avocado crema, poblano sauce or Chipotle Mayo sauce. You won't be disappointed with either of these sauces!
Ingredients:
Fresh Corn on the Cob- I 100% recommend using fresh corn for this recipe. It's crisp, chars really well in a skillet, and makes a huge difference in the final results of the recipe. Frozen corn won't offer the same crunch, as it usually is watered down when it thaws out. Canned corn will not work for this recipe.
Blackened Seasoning-A blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt create a homemade blackened seasoning that is smoky, sweet and spicy all at once. Prepare your tastebuds for a real treat.
Jalapeño-Added for extra heat and pairs really well with the blackened seasoning. It also adds a bit of crunch, which I love.
Vegetable Oil-Just a touch is used for it's high burning point. The oil allows the corn to blacken without burning.
Lime Juice- Added for acidity to balance out the heat from the jalapeño and spices.
Butter- Brings in a bit of savory and creamy flavor. I like using a salted grass-fed butter, like Kerrygold. It is more expensive, but it's one of the items I splurge on because the quality is so much better.
Fresh Cilantro- One of my favorite fresh herbs to pair with spicy Mexican or Tex Mex flavors. Mince it up finely in this recipe for a burst of freshness.
*Full recipe ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations and Substitutions:
- Want to back down on the heat a bit? Leave out the jalapeño and cayenne pepper.
- Looking for less fat? You can remove the butter from the recipe.
- Love smoky flavor? You can substitute smoked paprika in for regular paprika.
- If you are making this dish as a side item, I love adding a few tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese or Cotija. You can find me putting feta (or parmesan) on everything.
- Don't want to make the homemade blackened seasoning? Buy a store bought version and use 1 tablespoon.
- Some other additions that would be delicious to add into the recipe at the end would be diced avocado & finely chopped roma tomato. If these sound good to you, be sure to check out my Mexican Street Corn Dip too. It's equally amazing!
How To Make Charred Corn (Step by Step Instructions):
Step 1: Mix the Blackened Seasoning
Into a medium bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Corn
Remove the corn from the cob by holding the corn upright with one hand in a bowl or on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to shave the kernels off the cob. Do this slowly to prevent them from flying everywhere.
Step 3: Char the Corn
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add in the vegetable oil. Allow it to get hot for a minute or two. Do not allow it to smoke. Add in the corn and jalapeño. This should give off a nice sizzle. Allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Then, stir and cook for another 6 minutes until nice and charred, stirring every few minutes. If the corn starts popping out of the skillet, reduce the heat.
Step 4: Add Blackened Seasoning
Pour over the blackened seasoning and stir well to incorporate. Continue to cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add toppings.
Reduce heat to low and toss in butter, cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine and cook for one minute until butter melts. Turn off heat and salt to taste.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy!
Serve with lime wedges and sprinkle with feta or cotija cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Make sure to get all the stringy corn silk off the corn before cutting off the kernels.
- When slicing the corn off the cob, make sure you are cutting as close as you can to the cob, to get the full corn kernel off.
- This recipe is one that requires a little skill behind knowing when to stir. If you over stir, the corn will not get charred enough, but under stirring can cause burning. Keep an eye on the corn and watch for too much popping or burning, but make sure you allow enough time between stirring to allow the corn to brown.
- Unless you are looking for a lot of heat, be sure to remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño.
Don't forget the mojitos and margaritas! Try my Blue Curacao Mojito and Spicy Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita.
Recipe FAQs:
No, the corn will cook as it blackens and chars in the skillet.
Absolutely! This blackened charred corn recipe uses a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat to create a flavorful charred corn without a grill.
Corn is the BEST when it's fresh and in season. Corn is in season from May to September in the US. This is when you will find the sweetest, buttery, and most delicious corn. You can most likely find fresh corn year round in the supermarket, but it's more likely to be the best quality in these months.
Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply heat in a skillet over medium low heat until warm or microwave.
More Mexican Recipes You'll Love:
If you tried this Charred Corn Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Charred Corn
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
This Charred Corn recipe is blackened to perfection in a cast iron skillet. It packs a nice smoky heat and is delicious as a side dish or on tacos, nachos, burgers and more.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of fresh sweet corn on the cob, husks and strings (corn silk) removed
- 2 teaspoons fresh jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed and diced fine
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
- Optional topping: ⅛ cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
Blackened Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Into a medium bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt. Set aside.
- Remove the corn from the cob by holding the corn upright in a bowl or on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to shave the kernels off the cob. Do this slowly to prevent them from flying everywhere.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add in the vegetable oil. Allow it to get hot for a minute or two. Do not allow it to smoke. Add in the corn and jalapeño. This should give a nice sizzle. Allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
- Then, stir and cook for another 6 minutes until nice and charred, stirring every few minutes. If the corn starts popping, reduce the heat.
- Pour over the blackened seasoning and stir well to incorporate. Continue to cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and toss in butter, cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine and cook for one minute until butter melts. Turn off heat and salt to taste. Corn is something I like nice and salted, so I typically add in about ½ teaspoon more.
- Serve with lime wedges and sprinkle with feta if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to get all the stringy corn silk off the corn before cutting off the kernels.
- When slicing the corn off the cob, make sure you are cutting as close as you can to the cob, to get the full corn kernel off.
- This recipe is one that requires a little skill behind knowing when to stir. If you over stir, the corn will not get charred enough, but under stirring can cause burning. Keep an eye on the corn and watch for too much popping or burning, but make sure you allow enough time between stirring to allow the corn to brown.
- Unless you are looking for a lot of heat, be sure to remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: Blackened
- Cuisine: Mexican
Lisa
This was so good! I love the spicy flavors with the corn. Yum!
Tara Smithson
Thanks Lisa! I love the flavor too..It's got some heat!