Easy Blackened Corn

Easy Blackened Corn with Cilantro Garlic Butter is a summer staple! Sweet corn is coated in a flavorful spice mixture, grilled, and doused in butter.

This post is sponsored by Dandy®. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Darn Good Veggies!

This Easy Blackened Corn takes a summer staple to the next level! Sweet corn is coated in blackening seasoning and cooked until a crunchy flavorful crust forms. Doused in cilantro garlic butter, what could be better?

Reasons to love this recipe:

• A great recipe to take advantage of fresh summer corn!
• It can be made inside with a cast iron pan or outside on the BBQ.
• It's gluten free and vegan (or not!).

Ingredients and substitutions:

• Corn - we use Dandy Sweet Corn, the sweetest freshest corn out there, for this recipe. It comes pre-shucked. So easy!
• Oil - any neutral oil with a high smoke point will work. We like avocado or grapeseed.
• Smoked paprika - you can also use sweet paprika in a pinch, but I love the smokiness that smoked paprika gives.
• Onion powder - also called granulated onion.
• Garlic powder - also called granulated garlic.
• Salt - brings out flavor.
• Pepper - in this larger quantity, it adds subtle spice.
• Dried basil - or use dried oregano.
• Dried thyme - or use more dried basil.
• Vegan butter - or regular butter if not vegan.
• Cilantro - freshly chopped only!
• Garlic - freshly minced only!
• Lime wedges - optional, for serving.

How to make blackened corn:

Make the compound butter: In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, cilantro, and garlic.

Mix the blackening seasoning: In another small bowl, stir together all the blackening seasoning spices.

Coat the corn: Add the corn to the bowl and coat it in oil. Add in the blackening seasoning and toss to coat. It will seem like a lot of seasoning at first. Add more oil and continue tossing until the spices coat and adhere to the corn and no dry spice is left in the bottom of the bowl.

Cook: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once it is warm add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Sear the corn on all sides until blackened. Try not to disturb the corn as it cooks. This encourages a crust to form.

Coat in butter: Once blackened, add a dollop of butter to the top of each corn. Let it melt over the sides, stirring as needed, until all the corn is coated in the butter. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

Storage:

Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.

Blackening seasoning 101

Blackening seasoning is a popular seasoning blend that combines flavors from cajun and creole cooking.

Our blend is mildly spicy and deeply flavored thanks to a mixture of paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried herbs.

To use blackening seasoning, heavily coat the outside of what you are cooking, in our case, corn, with this blend.

Next, sear the corn until a dark, blackened, crust forms.

Be careful not to burn the crust! For something to be "blackened," you want a very dark, but not burned crust. It is best to cook over medium heat until a crust forms. If you use high heat, the spices will burn and become acrid in flavor.

The best pan to use for blackened corn:

For the best blackened corn, I recommend using a cast iron skillet. It creates even heat and a great surface area for blackening the outside of the corn.

If you want to cook the corn on a grill, I recommend using a cast iron griddle, or cast iron pan, for more surface area.

What to serve with blackened corn?

It compliments any protein. We love it with our smoked tofu, avocado tostadas, or veggie burgers. And pairs well with summery sides like baked beans and watermelon jicama salad.

More recipes with corn!

• Vegan Corn Chowder
• Gluten Free Cornbread
• Vegan Corn Casserole
• Sweet Corn Potato Salad
• Grilled Vegetable Salad
• Vegan Elote aka Mexican Street Corn

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