You're going to love this easy corn on the cob in microwave recipe! Cooking it in the microwave lets the sweet corn steam perfectly, resulting in flavorful, tender, and juicy corn with no effort at all. Microwave corn on the cob makes for the perfect side dish for your favorite grilled main courses and salads!
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💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- Minimal effort. No need to get a large pot of water, this simple method only needs a damp paper towel and a microwave to make flavorful corn in a matter of minutes! Want more microwave recipes? Check out microwave asparagus, baked potato, sweet potato, and even mug cake recipes!
- Tastes just as good. You might think that you'll get a different result by cooking corn in a microwave oven. but trust me, it tastes just as good as when you boil corn in a whole pot of water.
- Easy side dish. This delicious corn on the cob recipe can be eaten as a snack but is also a delicious side dish, especially during summer! It's a great pairing for your barbecue favorites and you can even make corn salsa or corn salad.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this microwave corn on the cob, you'll need an ear of corn, olive oil, butter, salt, and black pepper.
Notes and Variations
- Use vegan butter or olive oil to instantly make this recipe vegan. Want to go oil-free? Just use a bit of vegetable broth.
- Use pre-shucked corn if you want to skip the process of removing the corn husks and silk.
- Type of corn. The best type of corn for corn on the cob is sweet corn, which can be easily found in grocery stores and farmer's markets.
- Check the wattage of your microwave. Since we have different microwaves, it might take you a slightly different time to microwave your corn. The size of the corn can also affect the cooking time!
📖 How to make Microwave Corn on the Cob
Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Rinse the corn under cold water to remove any remaining corn silk.
Wrap each ear of corn in a damp paper towel, and cover it completely.
Place the wrapped corn on a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes per ear of corn, depending on the wattage of your microwave and the size of the ears. Check the corn after 2 minutes to see if it's cooked to your liking. If not, continue microwaving in 1-minute increments until it's done.
Carefully remove the plate from the microwave and let the corn cool for a few minutes. Unwrap the corn from the paper towels and discard the towels.
Brush the corn with butter or olive oil, making sure to coat it evenly. You can also add some cotija cheese (or any of these cotija substitutes), tajin, red chili powder, garlic powder, or a squeeze of lemon juice!
Sprinkle the corn with salt and pepper, or any other seasonings you like.
Serve and enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Tips To Make The Best Microwave Corn on the Cob!
You don't need to be an expert to make the best corn on the cob, but these tips will definitely help you get it right every time!
- Use fresh corn! Nothing beats the freshness of raw corn in the grocery store or farmer's market. It's often more nutritious and tasty than frozen corn.
- Make sure the paper towel has enough water. In this method of cooking, corn steams inside wet paper towels so it's important that the paper towels retain moisture when being heated in the microwave.
- Let it cool. Since you are heating the corn on high in the microwave, you'll want to remove the damp paper towels and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. It's important to remove the paper towels immediately after cooking so as not to make the corn cob soggy.
- Add your favorite flavors. You can add butter, cheese, chili powder, paprika, and other flavors that you love.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can also opt to do this method! Sweet corn can also steam inside its own husk. What you'll need to do is to pull back the husk and remove as much silk as you can, then pull the husk back over the corn cob. You can microwave it as is or sprinkle some water for added moisture.
Yes, while I recommend using fresh corn, frozen corn will work just fine especially if you don't have the luxury of time. Frozen corn takes less time to prepare, and some of them come without the husk.
If you follow the cooking time in the recipe, there is very little chance that you'll overcook the corn cobs. It's important to check the cobs every 1 or 2 minutes because of the difference in microwave wattage.
You can microwave as many corn cobs as you can fit on a single layer of your microwave-safe dish. Make sure to individually wrap them in a damp paper towel.
🍴 Serve and store corn on the cob
Serve the microwaved corn cob on a stick or remove the kernels for a delicious side dish. You can easily transform the cooked corn into corn salsa, corn salad, or even corn fritters!
Store cooked corn in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to six months. I don't recommend freezing the corn after microwaving - instead, freeze it before, and then thaw before you microwave.
🍴 More simple microwave recipes
If you love this microwave corn on the cob, check out these easy recipes!
- Microwave asparagus
- Microwave broccoli
- Microwave rice
- Microwave baked potatoes
- Microwave sweet potatoes
- Microwave mashed potatoes
- Microwave mug cake
- Microwave scrambled eggs
- Microwave hard boiled eggs
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📖 Recipe
Microwave Corn on the cob
Equipment
- Microwave
Ingredients
- 1 ear of corn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Rinse the corn under cold water to remove any remaining silk.
- Wrap each ear of corn in a damp paper towel, making sure to cover it completely. Place the wrapped corn on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes per ear of corn, depending on the wattage of your microwave and the size of the ears. Check the corn after 2 minutes to see if it's cooked to your liking. If not, continue microwaving in 1-minute increments until it's done.
- Carefully remove the plate from the microwave and let the corn cool for a few minutes. Unwrap the corn from the paper towels and discard the towels.
- Brush the corn with butter or olive oil, making sure to coat it evenly. Sprinkle the corn with salt and pepper, or any other seasonings you like. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen corn: For fresh corn, select ears that are bright green and tightly wrapped around the corn. Avoid corn with brown or dry husks. You can also use frozen or pre-shucked corn in this recipe.
- Prep the corn: Before microwaving, remove any loose or excess husks from the corn. However, keep at least a few layers of husks intact to help steam the corn and prevent it from drying out. Remove the silk threads as well.
- Adjust cooking time: Microwave cooking times may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave and the size of the corn. As a general guideline, start with 3-4 minutes per ear of corn and adjust as needed. Check for doneness by carefully peeling back a small section of the husk and testing the corn's tenderness.
- Let it rest: After microwaving, allow the corn to rest for a few minutes before handling. This helps distribute the heat evenly and allows the corn to finish cooking. Be cautious when removing the husks and silk, as the corn will be hot.
- Have fun with the seasoning: Butter, salt and pepper is a classic combination, but you can also add some cotija cheese (or any of these cotija substitutes), tajin, red chili powder, garlic powder, or a squeeze of lemon juice!
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