Steamed corn on the cob is an easy low maintenance way to get that crisp golden bite out of these delicious seasonal vegetables. With hardly any prep or work you can have ready to eat ears of corn in minutes.

I love corn on the cob. It's such an easy vegetable to grow and there's always that time of the year where it goes on sale and you can buy several ears of it for cents each. As a frugal shopper, this appeals to me.
Corn on the cob can be prepared in advance and reheated for events. It's great for a barbecue side dish or for a southern style comfort meal. Add some cheese and Tajito seasoning and lime juice, or go simple and just spread on some butter. It's a pretty versatile veggie that doesn't get enough credit.
Steamed corn is a perfect summer side dish that goes great with favorites like Baked BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, Oven BakedBrats, and Instant Pot Hot Dogs.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's great for garden fresh corn. Growing your own corn is easy and always fun, but what to do with all of those ears once they're ripe? This recipe is a perfect excuse to grab a few off of the stalks.
- It's cheap. Even without a garden, corn on the cob is a very frugal veggie when they're in season. Often hovering around $0.50 each, you can grab a few for your next meal.
- Minimal ingredients. Once you have the corn needed for this recipe, chances are high that you have the other two ingredients as well. This recipe is so minimal that it's perfect for any night of the week.
🥘 Ingredients
Water- You will need a large pot of water to steam the corn in.
Salt- This will help to enhance the flavors in the corn.
Corn on the cob- You will need some fresh corn on the cob. Remove husks before steaming.
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make steamed corn on the cob with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water and sprinkle in some salt.
Bring the pot to a boil.
Prepare your ears of corn by husking them and cutting them to fit with your steamer basket.
Stand them in the basket, bottoms facing down. Place the basket in the pot and then place the lid on top.
Let them steam for 15 minutes, checking every so often to make sure that you don't need to add in more water if it boils out.
When time is up they should be done, remove with tongs and serve as desired.
🍴 Recipe Tips
Steamed corn is really simple to make, but if you're like me and don't have a steamer basket made to fit within your large cooking pot, you can rig it a little by sealing around the edge of the pot where it meets the lid with aluminum foil. Like sealing the edge around a pie crust, cover the gap created and hold in the steam as best as you can.
After the corn has finished, if you plan to hold it for later you can individually wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a baking dish under a towel to help them retain heat longer.
💭 FAQs
Cooking your corn through steaming is one of the quickest ways to cook your fresh (or frozen) corn. Not only that, but it's also one of the best ways to preserve the nutrients in the corn so that you don't lose them like you do when boiling.
Plus, have you ever eaten overcooked corn? It's chewy and unpleasant. To get that out of steamed corn you'd have to cook it for a very long time, meaning that it's much harder to mess up.
Other delicious side dish recipes to try
- Garlic Parmesan Cheese Green Beans
- 3 Ingredient Biscuits
- Crispy Fried Tuna Patties
- 20 Delicious Summer Squash Recipes
📖 Recipe
Steamed Corn on the Cob
Equipment
Instructions
- Husk your corn and cut it in half, removing the dried ends if needed.
- Place corn ends facing down in a steamer basket.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The water should be about 2 inches high. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
- Once the water is to a full rolling boil, place the steamer basket inside and place the lid on the pot.
- Let the water boil for 15 minutes, adding more to the pot if needed (only needed if water boils out).
- Turn off the heat, and using tongs remove your corn. Wrap in foil to save for later or serve warm with butter. Enjoy!
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