Learn how to boil corn on the cob! It’s SO easy, and the corn comes out tender, sweet, and juicy every time. Served with butter, salt, and pepper, it’s the BEST summer side dish! I think my love of seasonal cooking comes boiling corn on the cob all the corn on the cob I ate as a kid.
In the summer, my mom served boiled corn on the cob with dinner almost every night. She’d pick it up from a farm stand nearby, so it was always super-sweet and fresh. To this day, the thought of that summer sweet corn makes my mouth start watering. I’ve posted recipes for steamed corn on the cob and grilled corn on the cob in the past, but I’ve never shared my method for how to boil corn. I love it because it’s SO easy, and it yields the sweetest, juiciest corn on the cob you can make.
You only need 1 ingredient: fresh sweet corn! You can cook as many ears as you’d like, as long as your pot is large enough for all of the ears to be fully submerged. First, remove the husks from the corn. Discard the green corn husks and the silks, the thin strands that cling to each ear of corn. While you work, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until the kernels are tender and golden. Exactly how long to boil corn on the cob will vary based on how much you’re cooking and how you like your corn.
I typically go for 3-5 minutes, which shouldn’t be much longer than the time it takes for the water to return to a boil after you add the corn. Remove the corn from the pot and transfer it to a serving platter. Serve it with butter, salt, and pepper, or whatever fixings you like. Boiled Corn on the Cob Serving SuggestionsI love adding grilled corn to tacos and salads, but whenever I’m boiling corn, I’m almost always going to eat it off the cob. The simplest way to enjoy it is with butter, salt, and pepper, but your options don’t end there.
Use compound butter instead of regular butter. Any of these 4 variations would be fantastic! Drizzle it in a yummy sauce, like chipotle sauce or vegan ranch. I recommend cilantro, basil, or chives. Dust it with smoked paprika or chili powder. Make Mexican-style corn on the cob. After boiling corn, brush it with adobo sauce from a can of chipotles and top it with crumbled Cotija cheese.
Let me know what variations you try! Round out the meal with cookout fare like veggie burgers, black bean burgers, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches and a fresh summer salad. Or, serve your cooked corn on the cob as a side dish with whatever you’d like! Or any of these 25 Fresh Corn Recipes! This easy method for boiling corn yields tender, sweet, and juicy ears every time. Served with butter, salt, and pepper, they’re the perfect summer side dish.
Drain and serve warm with butter, salt, and pepper. 5-Part Guide to Delicious Vegetarian Eating! Hello, sorry if this is a basic question. Covering pan traps heat and makes water re-boil faster and keeps all steam from escaping. Hi EJ, you can cover if you’d like.
Since the corn cooks very quickly I just go ahead and boil uncovered. I’m so glad your corn came out well! I always forget how long to boil it for. I add about 2 tbsp sugar to the boiling water. Seems to make the corn just a tad sweeter.
Using the alternate method, does cook the corn on the cob fully. Use the first method that works fine. Fresh farmstead corn may be cooked long enough at 3 to 5 minutes but supermarket corn may need 10 to 12 minutes. The corn I ate after a family member followed your recipe was very starchy.