This Cajun fried corn is a quick and easy side dish that’s full of flavor with a little kick from our favorite Cajun seasoning! Sweet corn kernels are pan-fried with tender onion, in a buttery hot skillet, until they are perfectly tender and caramelized.
Why We Love Cajun Fried Corn
Skillet fried corn is a southern masterpiece and is a go-to corn recipe when you’ve had enough grilled corn on the cob. This dish is different from the southern creamed corn since it doesn’t use sugar, milk or flour. Instead, this savory side dish uses bacon drippings, butter, onion and cajun seasoning to make a truly irresistible side dish! We love it just as much as our other corn favorite, Mexican corn salad. It’s a nod to our Texas roots and has a whole lot to love:
- Quick and Easy: This recipe takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a fast, delicious side dish.
- Minimal Ingredients: You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe – corn, butter, and a few seasonings. Easy on the budget and pantry!
- One-Pan Wonder: Skillet-fried corn is a one-pan dish, which means fewer dishes to clean up afterwards.
- Customizable: You can add a variety of toppings like crumbled bacon, fresh herbs, or cheese to take it to the next level.
Enjoy more of the best corn recipes like fresh corn salsa and easy corn fritters!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this southern fried corn recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Avocado Oil: Bacon grease also works if you happen to have some!
- Onion: We like to use a sweet yellow onion as it pairs well with the sweet corn, but white onions also work well.
- Corn: Fresh corn cut straight off the cob is the best, but you can use frozen corn as well! Just don’t use canned corn if you can help it – the texture will not be the same.
- Cajun Seasoning: This is the perfect blend of spices. We like to use our easy homemade Cajun seasoning, but your favorite store-bought brand will also get the job done.
How to Make this Recipe for Fried Corn
Southern fried corn is a classic veggie side that we like to cook all year long! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Heat the oil and butter: Add the oil (or bacon grease) and butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onions: Add the chopped onions and cook until softened.
- Add corn: Add the corn and Cajun seasonings (and garlic if you want) and cook to your liking!
Cook’s Tips & Variations
- Add bacon: If you don’t have bacon grease, you can always make bacon and add it to the fried corn. Cook the bacon first then remove it and continue with the recipe. Add your bacon back in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Spice it up: If you want a little kick, add some fresh chopped jalapeno when cooking the onion.
- Use all the corn: Two pounds of corn may seem like a lot of corn, but it cooks down when you cook it for 20 minutes. Trust me, it’s really not that much.
- Stir often: While the corn is cooking, be sure to stir it often so it doesn’t burn to the bottom.
- Add more flavor: If you want more seasoning, you can add a little more cajun seasoning. Don’t add salt before you taste it, since the cajun seasoning already has plenty of salt.
- Peppers/Chilies. Adding jalapeño, green bell pepper, hatch chilies or green chilies is easy! Just add them when you add the onion!
What to Serve with Fried Corn
- Chicken: Southern entrees like chicken and waffles and creamy cajun chicken pair perfectly with this skillet fried corn.
- Beef: Chicken fried steak is always a classic!
- Pork: Breaded pork chops and gravy are great with this buttery fried corn.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have leftover corn, you can store it in your refrigerator for 3-5 days. Let the corn cool, put it in a tupperware bowl with a lid and place it in the refrigerator.
Cajun Fried Corn
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease, or avocado oil
- 5 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 pounds corn kernels, fresh or frozen, about 6 cups
- 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, minced, optional
Instructions
- In a large hot skillet over medium heat, add the bacon grease (or oil) and butter. Once butter melts, add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until it starts to soften.
- Add corn, seasonings, and garlic, stirring until well combined. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, until it's cooked to your liking.
I’m trying tonight.
If using fresh corn kernels, would you blanch the Cobb prior to cutting it off?
Hi Sheila, Blanching is not necessary, fresh corn will taste delicious!
You mention garlic several times in the article but nowhere is it listed as an ingredient or when it would be added if it was.
Ah thanks for catching that Dave! Originally we had garlic added and then removed it due to some complaints that it was “too garlic-y”, but I realize that is confusing. I have updated the recipe to show that you can use garlic or not – it’s optional! 🙂 Thank you for catching that and letting us know!