This recipe for air fryer corn on the cob is super simple and tasty, and cooking it in the air fryer means you can enjoy roasted corn anytime of the year, not just during corn season! This makes an excellent appetizer, the perfect side dish, or a delicious snack! You can air fry both fresh or frozen corn, and this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
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Jump to:
- Enjoy Corn All Year Round!
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- How to Make Air Fryer Corn on the Cob (Step by Step)
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- What to Serve with Corn on the Cob?
- Easy Air Fryer Recipes:
- If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll also love these other appetizers/side dishes:
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Enjoy Corn All Year Round!
We’ve been putting our air fryer to good use since getting it, and some of our favorite recipes include crispy air fryer French fries, perfect air fryer zucchini fries, crispy hasselback potatoes, and air fried chicken wings!
And of course, we can’t forget about air fryer corn, because this Mexican street corn inspired recipe makes the most delicious side dish!
Just because grilling season is over (or isn’t here yet) doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy eating roasted ears of corn, and here’s where the air fryer comes in super handy!
You don’t need to take out your grill to make this recipe – all you need is your countertop air fryer and you’ve got perfectly delicious corn on the cob!
(If you don’t already have an air fryer yet, be prepared for your life to be changed!).
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: This super simple recipe requires just a handful of ingredients that you might already have, or if not, they are easily accessible at the supermarket.
- Easy to Make: With little prep needed, air fryer corn is literally a cinch to make and makes an easy side dish everyone will love!
- Little Oil Required: Air fryer corn uses way less oil compared to deep frying. Also, since the corn is cooked inside the air fryer, there will be no oil splatters on the kitchen wall to clean up.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make this air fryer corn on the cob recipe.
(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- Fresh or Frozen Corn: This recipe calls for fresh ears of corn, but if you wish to use frozen ears of corn (or only have frozen corn on hand), simply add 5 extra minutes to the cooking time to allow the corn to fully defrost before cooking.
- Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil, but feel free to use other vegetable oils such as coconut oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil.
- Salt: I like using pink Himalayan salt, but feel free to use whichever salt you fancy.
- Ground Paprika: I like adding a dash of ground paprika for extra heat and a pop of color, but you can also use ground chili powder or ground cayenne pepper instead.
- Parsley: I like to sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the corn as it adds color contrast and taste. Alternatively, you can use chopped spring onions or chives too.
- Nutritional Yeast: We cook dairy-free at home and I love using nutritional yeast as a dairy-free version of grated cheese since it has a cheesy flavor profile and feels and looks so much like grated cheese. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use grated parmesan cheese instead.
How to Make Air Fryer Corn on the Cob (Step by Step)
1. Preheat Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
2. Brush with Oil
Once the ears of corn have been shucked, wash and dry them with paper towels, and then brush each ear of corn with olive oil.
3. Season the Corn
Next, evenly sprinkle salt and ground paprika (or other seasonings of preference) over the corn.
4. Place Corn in Air Fryer
Place the corn in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in either 1 or 2 batches).
5. Garnish and Enjoy!
Sprinkle fresh parsley and nutritional yeast on top before serving hot.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Do Not Overcrowd: For best results, it’s important that you do not overcrowd your air fryer basket and that you place the corn in one single layer. This is so that the corn can cook evenly on all sides and brown nicely. Since I use a smaller air fryer that is only big enough for 2 full ears of corn, so I cooked the corn in 2 batches. Simply reheat the previously cooked corn for a couple of minutes in your air fryer before serving.
- Optional Seasonings: I used salt and ground paprika in this recipe, but feel free to play around and add your favorite seasoning! Some other options you could use include ground black pepper, ground turmeric, crushed red pepper, red chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Optional Toppings: For toppings, I used fresh chopped parsley and nutritional yeast (because we eat dairy-free at home), but feel free to use other fresh herbs such as chopped cilantro, chopped spring onions or chives, and add a squirt of lime juice or lemon juice too! Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top!
Recipe FAQs:
This recipe calls for fresh ears of corn, but if you’re not able to get ahold of fresh corn (because it’s not currently in season) or simply prefer to use frozen corn, you can definitely still cook it in the air fryer! Simply follow the recipe, with the only difference being to wash the frozen corn with warm water beforehand, and drying it to help thaw faster, as well as to extend the cooking time by 5 minutes. That’s it
To store the corn on the cob, place the cooled corn cobs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Corn on the Cob?
This air fryer corn can be served as an appetizer, a snack, or even a side dish, since it’s such a versatile option! It goes well with chicken or fish, or even beef, or for a vegetarian option, serve it along side our favorite crustless spinach quiche or sweet potato and kale skillet.
You can also serve it with my favorite homemade Sriracha chili sauce, or this 5-minute garlic aioli! Or cut the crispy corn kernels from the cob and sprinkle them in a salad such as this quinoa salad with butternut and arugula (we’ve been doing this lately and it’s such a quick way to incorporate color and slight sweetness into our salads).
Easy Air Fryer Recipes:
- Air Fryer French Fries (Fresh or Frozen)
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Air Fryer Bacon (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Air Fryer Tofu (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Crispy Hasselback Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Air Fryer Diced Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Crispy Air Fryer Kale Chips (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll also love these other appetizers/side dishes:
- Gluten-Free Jalapeño Cornbread (Dairy-Free)
- Crispy Baked Yuca Fries (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Rosemary Focaccia Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Easy Creamy Hummus (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Easy Gluten-Free Naan Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
PrintAir Fryer Corn on the Cob (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Ingredients
- 4 ears, fresh corn, shucked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- Fresh chopped parsley, for sprinkling (optional)
- Nutritional yeast, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Brush with Oil: Brush each ear of corn with olive oil.
- Season the Corn: Sprinkle salt and ground paprika over the corn.
- Place Corn in Air Fryer: Place the corn in a single layer in the air fryer basket (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in either 1 or 2 batches).
- Cook Until Golden Brown: Cook the corn for 20 minutes, turning the corn over halfway through, until kernels are tender and golden brown.
- Garnish and Enjoy! Sprinkle fresh parsley and nutritional yeast on top before serving hot.
Notes
Fresh or Frozen Corn: This recipe calls for fresh ears of corn, but if you wish to use frozen corn on the cob (or only have frozen corn on hand), simply add 5 extra minutes to the cooking time to allow the corn to fully defrost before cooking.
Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil, but feel free to use other vegetable oils such as coconut oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil.
Salt: I like using pink Himalayan salt, but feel free to use whichever salt you fancy.
Ground Paprika: I like adding a dash of ground paprika for extra heat and a pop of color, but you can also use ground chili powder instead.
Parsley: I like to sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the corn as it adds color contrast and taste. Alternatively, you can use chopped spring onions or chives too.
Nutritional Yeast: We cook dairy-free at home and I love using nutritional yeast as a dairy-free version of grated cheese since it has a cheesy flavor profile and feels and looks so much like grated cheese. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use grated parmesan cheese instead.
Do Not Overcrowd: It’s important that you do not overcrowd your air fryer basket and that you place the corn in one single layer. This is so that the corn can cook evenly on all sides and brown nicely. My air fryer is only big enough for 2 full ears of corn, so I cooked the corn in 2 batches. Simply reheat the previously cooked corn for a couple of minutes in your air fryer before serving.
Optional Seasonings/Toppings: I used salt and ground paprika in this recipe, but feel free to play around with the seasonings! Some other options you could use include ground black pepper, ground turmeric, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. For toppings, I used fresh chopped parsley and nutritional yeast (because we eat dairy-free at home), but feel free to use chopped cilantro, add a squirt of lime juice or lemon juice, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese if you are not lactose-intolerant.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Grace Lim says
Thank you Felicia!
This is yet another of your wonderful and simple recipe that we can use and enjoy the flavorful air-fried corn cobs.
This is wonderful because we can easily get corn cobs here in Singapore.
Love and blessings always!
Mum
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Hi mummy 🙂 Yes! Great that it’s easy to get corn on the cob in Singapore.. Next up I plan to make air fryer chickpeas (like kachang puteh)!