7 Recipes to savor the sweet, earthy and sometimes nutty flavor of corn in both savory dishes and desserts, for summer and beyond.
Farm To Table Cooking
Few things capture the taste of summer quite like sweet corn. With its naturally sweet, earthy, and sometimes nutty flavor, corn brings comfort, nostalgia, and incredible versatility from the farm to the table.
In this post, I’m excited to share 7 must-try corn recipes, from savory sides and main dishes to a festive Halloween dessert that celebrates corn in all its golden glory.
The Charm Of Countryside Living And Cornfields
Living in the rolling countryside of Maryland, just beyond the hustle of Washington, D.C., I’ve grown to appreciate the rhythm of the seasons.
One of my favorite sights is watching rows of sweet corn emerge in neat green lines across the landscape, planted in early spring and ripening under the warmth of the summer sun.Â
From late June through early September, sweet corn makes its appearance at roadside stands and local farmers markets, and there’s nothing quite like the flavor of just-picked corn, still warm from the field.
From late June through early September, sweet corn can be found through local farms, roadside stands and even some local grocery stores that buy local across much of America.
Sweet Corn vs Field Corn
Unlike field corn, which is harvested for animal feed or industrial use, sweet corn is loved for its tender, juicy kernels and its signature milky sweetness.Â
It’s a seasonal delicacy that brings brightness and crunch to everything from rustic summer salads, grill and campfire cooking, and even desserts. After all, it is sweet!
7 Sweet Corn Recipes To Try This Season
From my own kitchen to your table, these recipes highlight the incredible ways you can enjoy sweet corn in the summer and early fall.
Whether you’re hosting a backyard cookout or planning a quiet dinner at home, there’s a corn dish here for every occasion.
- Sweet Corn Ice Cream – Farm To Table Corn Ice Cream Recipe, inspired by sweet, sun ripened corn fresh from the cob, simmered, pureed and churned as nature intended.
- Cornbread Muffins – Savory Jalapeno or Sweet Polenta – each with a rich batter that includes corn and not simply cornmeal, though uniquely different.
- Savory Corn, Tomato and Black Bean Salad – Farm Fresh Summer Corn and Tomato Salad is the perfect summer salad, with a vibrant dressing, fresh herbs and protein rich black beans.
- Corn Kabobs – Aren’t really a recipe in-and-of-themselves because anything can be slid onto kabob sticks and roasted in the oven, over the grill or open campfire, however 2 of my favorite Kabob recipes are Kofta Kabobs and Pizza Kabobs, so be creative and have fun adding sliced segments of corn on the cob to either of these or simply pile on summer veggies with the corn and brush with a Lemon Dressing while roasting.
- Halloween Corn Skull Bread – Fresh corn ideas couldn’t look more inviting than when baked into these scary Halloween skull pans and served during trick-or-treat season.
- Thyme Corn Fritters – While both seasonal vegetables and herbs are abundant, these thyme scented corn fritters make for a great farm-to-table side dish for both summer grilling or a favorite Thanksgiving side-dish.
- Caramelized Popcorn Balls – Let’s not forget the easy corn recipe of popped corn, tossed in homemade caramel, quickly formed into balls and easy to serve to the kids with a stick in the center!
Savor The Flavor Of Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Corn Ice Cream, inspired by sweet, sun ripened corn fresh from the cob, simmered, pureed and churned as nature intended, is my favorite summer ice cream.
Since corn is naturally sweet, producing an almost ‘sweet milk’ from each kernel, it makes for the creamiest ice cream.
If corn is sweet, then why don’t we have more recipes for desserts made with corn? Well, we do now!
What Makes This Corn Ice Cream Recipe Unique?
Certainly the most unique aspect of this corn ice cream recipe, is the incredible sweetness and creamy texture.
Very little sugar is added to this ice cream because the natural sugars in corn are almost sweet enough.
Additionally, is the natural creamy milk that is squeezed out from each kernel, therefore making it easy for both a dairy or non-dairy recipe.
Jalapeno Cornbread Muffin Recipe
Cornbread, being a quick bread most often associated with the southern cooking, rarely has corn in it, and so I wanted to change that.
While corn meal is not a gluten flour, in order to create a moist, fluffy muffin, the cornmeal was going to need help.
Wanting to keep these muffins gluten-free, I created a new recipe that didn’t add wheat flour, but rather gluten-free flour that worked perfectly.
What better way to savor the sweetness of a cornbread muffin than to contrast it with a little heat from jalapenos!
Sweet Corn Polenta Muffins
If you prefer a slightly sweeter corn muffin than perhaps one with freshly harvested corn, mascarpone, and a pinch of fenugreek might be the corn muffin you are after.
These Polenta Muffins have just the right amount of sweetness in them to welcome them at a breakfast or brunch table.
Savor Summer With This Corn And Tomato Salad Recipe
Farm fresh summer corn and tomato salad is the perfect summer salad, with a vibrant dressing, fresh herbs and protein rich black beans.
The sweet juicy corn kernels, acidity of cherry tomatoes, tang of lime juice, even add a can of black beans, for a perfectly healthy vegetarian meal.
Juicy tomatoes along with the jalapeño, lime and olive oil, give this colorful side dish the appearance of a Mexican salsa, so why not serve it with tortilla chips!
Halloween Spicy Cornbread Skulls
Who said Halloween couldn’t be fun for adults too! This cornbread recipe is loaded with crispy bacon, plenty of cracked black pepper in a buttery rich, whole milk cornmeal batter.
An irresistible surprise to serve alongside a great bowl of chili or black bean soup for a Halloween gathering that is sure to be remembered both for their sweet corn taste and their spooky presentation.
Farm Fresh Harvest Thyme Corn Fritters
Harvest thyme corn fritters are a beautiful showcase of Autumn’s corn, whisked into a savory fritter batter of thyme and smoked paprika, lightly sautéed to a crispy perfection.
While fritters can be made from a variety of veggies, meats or seafood, the corn fritter has become a favorite fritter served with Autumn dishes.
Corn fritters are a great side dish for a variety of meals, and adding cheese to them makes them almost better than the main dish!
Popcorn Balls For A Celebration Of Corn Season
Yes, we all love to give and receive presents, especially if they are eatable and sweet, and caramel popcorn balls look like a present!
Let’s not forget that while popcorn is engineered to pop when heated, it’s still corn!
Salt Caramel popcorn balls are easy to make, adorable to wrap individually and scrumptious to receive as gifts.
Party favors, school gatherings, baby showers, birthday parties all make for popular places to offer caramel popcorn balls.
Irresistible Corn Recipes To Collect
There was once a time when every homemaker had a special collection of family recipes passed down and kept in handwritten recipe books. Some still do.
Often these days, we are not sure where the recipes that spark our attention come from.
However, be assured that the recipes I share with you are created by me or passed down to me from my family.
Let me know if you’d like this turned into a printable recipe collection, a Pinterest-friendly version, or have photos added!
And be sure to follow my YouTube channel where I share hundreds of videos and visual stories!
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.