Grilled Corn on the cobb is a simple summer side dish that can be made on your outdoor grill in just 10 minutes! Season with spices and cheese for a tasty Elote-style treat.
I love it when fresh sweet corn is available at the market! You can find corn on the cob in grocery stores year-round, but it’s extra delicious when it’s freshly picked from a farm nearby.
Grilled corn is an easy way to create a tasty veggie side dish in just a few minutes.
Make your own version of Mexican street corn (Elote), or enjoy grilled corn with plenty of butter and salt.
Looking for more grilled vegetable ideas? Try making grilled portobello mushrooms, cauliflower steaks, or grilled veggie kabobs!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast and Easy – It takes a little bit of time to prep and soak the corn, but on the grill, corn is ready in about 10 minutes.
- Versatile Recipe – Use the seasonings I recommend here, or use whatever you enjoy on corn. You can truly use any flavors you want to in this recipe.
- A Summer Favorite – Everyone loves corn on the cob! Use this recipe to make it a little more exciting than the typically boiled ears that they’re used to.
Ingredients For Making Grilled Corn
Here’s what you need to make this easy summer side dish:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Corn – Fresh sweet corn (local if at all possible, it’s so good when it’s super fresh!) is what you want for this recipe. You can make as many pieces as you can fit on your grill.
- Butter – Corn on the cobb requires a generous amount of butter! Melt a few tablespoons so that it’s easy to brush on the cobbs.
- Seasonings – Here I seasoned the corn after it was cooked with Trader Joe’s Elote seasoning and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. You can add your own favorites, or simply some salt.
How To Make Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Peel Corn: This is also called “husking” the corn, by removing the husks and the fibrous hairs from the kernels. Snap off the ends, or leave them on to act as a handle if you prefer.
- Soak: This is optional, but I find it helpful in getting the corn perfectly tender. Add the corn to a container of water and allow it to soak for 30 minutes while you preheat the grill.
- Prep the Grill: Preheat the grill to medium heat and clean and lightly oil the grill grates.
- Cook Corn on the Grill: Add the soaked corn to the grill, and cook over direct heat, turning often, for about 10 minutes, or until tender and charred.
- Season: Brush the corn with melted butter as it’s finishing on the grill. Season with elote seasoning and parmesan cheese, or your favorite seasonings.
Tip!
Serve grilled corn on the cobb right away! It’s best just after it’s come off the grill. Be sure to have some extra melted butter to drizzle over each serving too.
Recipe Tips
- Soaking is optional, but I highly recommend it. Grilling corn that hasn’t been soaked can sometimes result in dry, undercooked kernels. Adding moisture through soaking gets the corn cooked perfectly.
- You can cook the corn on the grill longer if you enjoy your grilled corn with extra char.
- Preheating and cleaning the grill are important. This will ensure that the corn doesn’t stick.
Storing Tips
Store leftover grilled corn in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s delicious cut off the cobb and eaten cold in salads.
How To Grill Corn on the Cobb with Husks On
The method I’m showing you here is perfect when you want blackened, charred, slightly smoky ears. If you want the corn to be cooked on the grill but not charred, use the husks to protect it.
- Start by removing the outer husks from the ears. Then peel back the inner husks, but don’t remove them.
- Pull off the corn silk, then wrap the inner husks back around each ear.
- Soak the corn for 10-20 minutes in cold water.
- Then, grill the corn as directed in the recipe card. The wet husks will protect it from burning and help to steam the kernels as the grill heats everything up.
What To Serve With Grilled Corn
Serve this char-grilled corn with your favorite grilled dinners. You can cook everything outside, and at the same time!
Grilled Salmon is very easy to make on the grill, and comes out perfect every time using my recipe.
Grilled Cornish Hens are another delicious option for a more sophisticated summer dinner party.
Others you should try include Grilled BBQ Chicken, Grilled Shrimp Kabobs, and easy Grilled Pizza.
Cut the Grilled Corn off of the cobb and use it as an ingredient in a Shrimp Cobb Salad or sprinkled over Nachos.
More Grilled Recipes to Try
All Grilling →
FAQs
It’s all about what you add to the corn after it’s grilled! Slather the ears with lime crema, then sprinkle with Tajin seasoning and Cotija cheese.
This will depend on whether or not you want the corn kernels charred or not. This recipe will give you nicely charred ears that can be enjoyed as is, or cut off the cobb to add to salads and tacos. Otherwise, grill the corn with the husks as a barrier to keep the kernels tender.
Over medium, direct heat it should take about 10 minutes to fully cook the corn on the grill. Keep an eye on your corn and turn it often so that it cooks evenly on all sides.
Of course! Just use your favorite vegan butter in place of the butter in the recipe. Skip the cheese, or sprinkle with nutritional yeast instead.
Save this recipe for the next time you have some delicious fresh corn to cook up! Be sure to Pin it so that more people can find it too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Grilled Corn
Equipment
- Grill (gas or charcoal)
Ingredients
- 4 ears fresh sweet corn on the cobb
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1-2 teaspoons seasoning chile lime, elote seasoning, or salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese or cojita cheese
Instructions
- Remove the husks and silk from the ears of corn, then soak them in cool water for 10- 30 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat and clean and lightly oil the grill grates.
- Add the soaked corn to the grill and cook over direct heat, turning often, for about 10 minutes, or until the corn is tender and charred to your liking.
- Brush the corn with melted butter as it's finishing on the grill. Remove to a platter and drizzle with remaining butter. Sprinkle the corn with seasoning, to taste, and finish by sprinkling with cheese.
Notes:
- You can easily adjust this recipe to make as many ears of corn as will fit on your grill.
- Soaking husked corn is optional, but it will add more moisture and give you more tender grilled corn.
- The seasonings you add to your grilled corn are up to you. I used Elote Seasoning from Trader Joe’s and grated parmesan cheese, but you can just as easily use a very small amount of chili powder, chili-lime seasoning, or Mexican cotija cheese instead.
- To create a traditional Mexican street corn, cover the grilled ears of corn with crema, tajin, and cotija, then serve with lime wedges.
- If you’d prefer your grilled corn without char, grill it with the husks still on. Peel off the thick outer husks, and peel the inner husks away from the cobb but not off. Remove the silks by hand and then put the husks back around the corn. Soak for 10 minutes, then grill as directed.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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