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This slightly charred air fryer corn on the cob is sweet, crunchy, buttery, and so juicy! This is a must-have for any summer BBQ party. Plus, it takes just 15 minutes to prepare, and no oven or grill is needed.
⭐️ Why You Should Try It
- Toasty and caramelized. Slightly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this air fryer corn has an irresistible roasted flavor. It’s slightly charred and smoky without having to turn on the grill!
- Quick and easy. You will only need 4 ingredients and about 20 minutes to make this delicious corn!
- Perfect for summer. Since this recipe is made in the air fryer, there is no need to turn up your oven or the grill, keeping your kitchen cool!
- It can be used as a side or in salads. You can enjoy this corn as is or use the kernels in your favorite summer salads!
🌽 Ingredient Notes
Here is what you will need:
- Fresh corn – For the best flavor, use fresh corn when it is in season. To pick the freshest corn, look for bright green leaves.
- Vegan butter – You can use butter or oil. However, I prefer butter as it brings a richer and nuttier flavor. You can use store-bought butter or homemade vegan butter.
- Salt and pepper – To season.
🥣 How to Make It
This air fryer corn recipe starts with preparing the ears of corn. Here is the process of shucking the corn:
- Husk the corn. Peel off the outer leaves of the corn. Next, remove all the remaining threads (the “silk”) and rinse the corn under cold water.
- Pat it dry and trim. Using clean kitchen paper towels, pat the ears of the corn dry. Trim off the ends of the corn and discard.
Once the corn has been trimmed, it’s time to air fry it:
- Melt the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan and heat over low heat until melted. At this point, you can flavor it with chopped garlic.
- Preheat your air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 370°F (185°C). Depending on the model and brand of air fryer, it will take between 2 and 5 minutes to preheat.
- Add the corn to the air fryer. Add the ears of corn to the basket once the air fryer is preheated. Do not overfill the basket; otherwise, the corn won’t caramelize properly.
- Brush with butter and season. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the corn on all sides with the melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.
- Air fry. Finally, air fry the corn for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Halfway through frying, carefully turn the ears of corn to cook them evenly.
🥗 What to Serve It With
Before serving, brush with more butter and garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro!
You can serve this air fryer corn on the cob as a side, put it on a stick, or remove the kernels to add to salads like this Kale & Carrot Salad or this Tofu Quinoa Salad. It’s also delicious served with air fryer garlic bread on the side!
📔 Tips
- Carefully remove all the threads from the husk. Take the time to remove all the silk strands that may stick to the corn, as these might burn during the frying process.
- Adjust the frying time. Depending on your brand of air fryer and the size of the corn, you might have to air fryer for a few more minutes. Take a look at the corn at the 12-13 minute mark.
- Cut in halves. If your air fryer basket is too small to fit all of the corn, feel free to cut each ear of corn into halves.
- Do not overfill the basket. For the corn to cook and brown evenly, do not stack or overfill the air fryer basket. I own an Instant Vortex Plus and can only fit a maximum of 4 ears of corn.
- Season to your liking. Feel free to sprinkle the corn with your favorite spices! Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, or even curry powder are tasty options.
💬 FAQ
I do not recommend frying corn in the husk as the leaves would burn. Additionally, the corn would not brown.
Yes, it will work as long as your frozen corn is uncooked. You can let the frozen corn thaw in the refrigerator overnight or add it frozen to the air fryer and add 5-7 extra minutes.
Yes, you can use white corn as well.
While this corn is best served immediately, you can reheat it for 7-8 minutes using the reheating function of your air fryer.
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Perfect Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ears of corn
- 1 tbsp vegan butter melted
- 1/4 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
Prepare the corn
- Husk the corn. Peel off the outer leaves of the corn. Next, remove all the remaining threads (the "silk") and rinse the corn under cold water.Pat it dry and trim. Using clean kitchen paper towels, pat the ears of the corn dry. Trim off the ends of the corn and discard.
Air Fry
- Preheat your air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 370°F (185°C). Depending on the model and brand of air fryer, it will take between 2 and 5 minutes to preheat.
- Add the corn to the air fryer. Add the ears of corn to the basket once the air fryer is preheated. Do not overfill the basket; otherwise, the corn won't caramelize properly.
- Brush with butter and season. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the corn on all sides with the melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.
- Air fry. Finally, air fry the corn for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Halfway through frying, carefully turn the ears of corn to cook them evenly.
- Brush with more vegan butter and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley before serving.
Notes
- Carefully remove all the threads from the husk. Take the time to remove all the silk strands that may stick to the corn, as these might burn during the frying process.
- Adjust the frying time. Depending on your brand of air fryer and the size of the corn, you might have to air fryer for a few more minutes. Take a look at the corn at the 12-13 minute mark.
- Cut in halves. If your air fryer basket is too small to fit all of the corn, feel free to cut each ear of corn into halves.
- Do not overfill the basket. For the corn to cook and brown evenly, do not stack or overfill the air fryer basket. I own an Instant Vortex Plus and can only fit a maximum of 4 ears of corn.
- Season to your liking. Feel free to sprinkle the corn with your favorite spices! Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, or even curry powder are tasty options.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Sounds good this new method to fry corn. I’ll try it.
I am glad that you started introducing more “Air Fryer” Recipes
This helps as an alternatives against ” Stove Top”, “Grilling” and or
“Pan Fried”…..Thanks again, Rohit / Canada
You are welcome Rohit! 🙂