It's corn-on-the-cob season, and I've heard a lot of questions lately throughout various plant-based diet and vegan groups on Facebook about how to flavor fresh corn without using butter or oil (which is basically what vegan butter is). The good news is there are a whole bunch of flavorful ways to prepare your corn. One of my favorite flavor combinations is spicy and citrus, so this is a go-to recipe favorite for corn season: chili lime corn on the cob.
This recipe is as simple as it gets, but it adds a ton of flavor to your summertime corn on the cob. My mom went out to a local farm in Errington, B.C. that grows delicious corn (it's less than a mile and just around the corner from the farm we are moving into in 3 weeks!). The owners are part of the same family where we bought corn when I was a kid growing up (different farm a few hours away). Anyway, their Peaches and Cream sweet corn is ready... and this stuff is terrific off the cob and is the base of an incredibly quick and easy side dish to make... chili lime sweet corn garnished with some green onions (scallions).
Can you leave the corn on the cob? Of course! Another way to enjoy this dish is to drizzle the cob in lime, or roll it in lime juice on the plate, and then sprinkle it with your favorite spicy seasoning. This could be Tajin , powdered hot sauce (Frank's has a version, although the ingredients aren't the healthiest so your mileage may vary on that one), or even something like Hot Pepper powder (Gochugaru, or korean chili flakes), cayenne, chipotle, or red pepper flakes. (affiliate links, see footer)
Chili Lime Corn
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups corn about 2 cobs
- 2-3 Tbsp green onion sliced
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce such as Cholula, to taste
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook corn on the cob (or frozen corn if out of season) using your preferred method. We boiled our corn by placing it in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 4 to 7 minutes depending on freshness (the fresher it is, the shorter time you boil it).
- Cut the corn kernels off the cob, and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the lime and hot sauce and toss well to combine.
- Garnish with sliced green onion.
- Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
What to eat it with or in
This dish is great for a summer pot-luck party, because you can enjoy it either hot or chilled.
Pair it with your favorite black bean salad, or a vegan burger, or throw it inside a burrito with a bunch of other vegetables and some refried beans.
Goes without saying, of course, frozen corn works for this recipe too. So enjoy! This side dish will be ready in under 10 minutes.
Jen deHaan
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