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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Corn On The Cob
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Cook Corn On The Cob In The Air Fryer
- How Long To Cook Corn In The Air Fryer?
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Air Fryer Corn On The Cob
- More Easy Corn Recipes
- My Favorite Tools For This Recipe
- Air Fryer Corn On The Cob (Fresh Or Frozen) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
This air fryer corn on the cob is my kids’ #1 favorite side dish right now, and they even learned to make it themselves (it’s so easy that even a 6 year old can make it!). My daughter’s comment: “This is the best corn I’ve ever had in my life!” You can enjoy it browned like cooking it on the grill, or juicy like cooking it on the stovetop. And, just like air fryer carrots or green beans, making corn in the air fryer takes less than 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Corn On The Cob
- Sweet, buttery, and juicy
- Cook with foil for more juicy or without foil for browned edges
- Just a few minutes prep time
- Ready in about 15 minutes
- Minimal cleanup
- Easy enough for kids to make
- Works for fresh or frozen corn
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for air fryer corn on the cob, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Sweet Corn – You can cook both fresh or frozen ears of corn in the air fryer, just the cook times will be different. Remove the husks and silks.
- Oil And/Or Butter – Some kind of fat is needed to keep the corn juicy and not dry. You’ll want to add butter at the end either way (can’t have corn on the cob without butter!), but you’ll also need either butter or oil before cooking. Use olive oil, avocado oil, or simply oil spray if cooking corn on the cob in the air fryer basket directly. If wrapping the corn in foil first, you can just use more butter, since the foil will protect it from burning. If you need it, butter flavored coconut oil makes a good dairy-free substitute for butter to get that rich, buttery flavor.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can also add a touch of garlic powder if you like.
How To Cook Corn On The Cob In The Air Fryer
This section shows how to make air fryer corn on the cob, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Regular Method:
This method for air fryer corn on the cob makes browned edges and takes less time:
- Prep. Preheat the air fryer and brush the fresh or frozen corn on all sides with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the corn in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry. Cook corn on the cob in the air fryer, flipping halfway through, until the corn is tender and has some brown spots.
- Season. Remove the corn, slather with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Foil Method:
This method for air fryer corn on the cob is more juicy and has easier cleanup:
- Prep. Preheat your air fryer and place each piece of fresh or frozen corn on a piece of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap around it.
- Slather. Brush each piece of corn with melted butter. (The butter may solidify if your corn is frozen, but that’s okay.) Sprinkle with sea salt. Wrap the foil around each piece of corn and seal it.
- Air fry. Cook corn in the air fryer, flipping halfway through, until tender.
- Serve. Remove the corn and unwrap the foil. Serve with additional butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
VARIATION: Make air fryer Mexican street corn!
After cooking corn on the cob in the air fryer (using either of the methods above), follow my elote recipe to add the toppings: Mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cilantro, and Cotija cheese.
How Long To Cook Corn In The Air Fryer?
Cook corn in the air fryer for 10-17 minutes depending on the method you use (foil or no foil) and whether you used fresh or frozen corn.
Follow the cook time chart below:
Fresh or Frozen Corn | Method Used | Time |
---|---|---|
Fresh Corn | Regular Method | 10-12 minutes |
Fresh Corn | Foil Method | 11-13 minutes |
Frozen Corn | Regular Method | 13-15 minutes |
Frozen Corn | Foil Method | 15-17 minutes |
Storage Instructions
- Store: Place leftover corn in a sealed bag and store in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator. Or, cut cooked kernels off the cob and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Simply place it back in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350 degrees F, until warm.
- Freeze: Wrap corn in plastic wrap or foil, place in a freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 6-8 months.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Corn On The Cob
I love air fryer recipes because they are perfect for busy weeknights, and this corn on the cob in the air fryer makes the perfect quick and easy side to a variety of mains! Here are some ideas:
- Chicken – Serve air fryer corn alongside a zesty lemon chicken piccata or smoky BBQ chicken legs for a well-rounded meal. You can also make quick air fryer chicken thighs for a complete air fryer meal.
- Seafood – Try light and flavorful shrimp skewers or flaky air fryer salmon fillets.
- Steak – Make a classic steak dinner! Try a perfectly cooked ribeye, or for a fancier steak dinner, my melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon.
- Roast – For a hearty and comforting meal, serve this easy side with a rump roast recipe or a budget-friendly sirloin tip roast recipe.
- Sandwiches – Classic beef burgers, turkey burgers, or even veggie burgers are perfect alongside air fryer corn on the cob. For an even more hands-off sandwich option, make slow cooker pulled pork on buns.
More Easy Corn Recipes
Corn is so versatile, and there are endless ways to enjoy it. Check out these fantastic corn recipes for more ideas:
My Favorite Tools For This Recipe
- Air Fryer – I love using this air fryer because it has a large, roomy basket that can handle big batches of food.
Air Fryer Corn On The Cob (Fresh Or Frozen)
Make corn on the cob in the air fryer, fresh or frozen! It's juicy and tender, with browned edges, and so easy to make.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Regular Method (Browned Edges & Faster):
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Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
-
Brush the fresh or frozen corn on all sides with olive oil and sprinkle all sides with sea salt.
-
Place the corn in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
-
Cook corn on the cob in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes for fresh corn or 13-15 minutes for frozen corn, flipping halfway through, until the corn is tender and has some brown spots.
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Remove the corn, slather with butter while it’s still warm (1/2 tablespoon per cob), and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Foil Method (More Juicy & Easier Cleanup):
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Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
-
Place each piece of fresh or frozen corn on a piece of foil, large enough to wrap around it.
-
Melt the butter and brush each piece of corn with it. (If your corn is frozen, the butter will solidify, which is fine.) Sprinkle all sides with sea salt.
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Wrap the foil around each piece of corn and seal.
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Place the corn in the air fryer basket and cook for 11-13 minutes for fresh corn or 15-17 minutes for frozen corn, flipping halfway through, until the corn is tender.
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Remove the corn and unwrap the foil. Serve with additional butter if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.
Did You Like It?
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 air fryer corn on the cob
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
5 Comments
Alice
0First time using the air fryer for corn on the cob. I had some frozen corn and used the foil method and plenty of butter. The corn was perfect and just so easy to make.
mary
0THANK YOU! I was always curious about making corn on the cob in air-fryer, this was easy and delicious. My new favorite corn cooking method!
Heather
0I made these for my family using the foil method and they were so juicy! I served them with steak and my kids asked me to make them again the next night. They will be added to our list of kid-approved side dishes!
Jocelyn
0Corn is such a versatile ingredient to use for recipes but this is my first time to actually cook corn on the cob in an air fryer. I followed the timings in your recipe and it turned out perfectly cooked. I had sour cream powder and barbeque left that I usually use for fries but I tried it with the corn and it’s really delicious.
Mary
0I absolutely love corn on the cob! I have tried to use the air fryer for the first time and I love the simplicity of the recipe! The butter on those crispy edges…. YUM