13 Ways To Upgrade Your Canned Corn

Plain and mild tasting, canned corn may remind you more of a cafeteria lunch option than a delectable side dish. And though many of us love this unassuming staple, it's true that its flavor can get a little tedious at times.

Don't worry, we're here to change that. In today's post, we're revealing the wonderful ways you can upgrade your canned corn using flavorful ingredients. From vegetable options to a slew of interesting seasonings and additions, we're confident you'll find at least one new way to elevate your next can of corn kernels.

Keep in mind that though many of the upcoming suggestions are rooted in Latin cuisine, there are plenty of other ways to utilize canned corn in fresh new ways, as well. Coming up, you'll find a handful of Mexican-inspired corn upgrades as well as a few flavorful combinations you may have never thought of. Stay tuned as we unveil the best ways to upgrade your canned corn.

Cilantro is known for its distinctly bright and herbal taste, making canned corn the perfect backdrop to show off its beautiful flavor. This interesting addition puts a Southwestern spin on canned corn, especially when paired with other Latin-inspired ingredients. Lime juice, jalapeños, and cotija cheese are all wonderful elements that can be layered with canned corn to make a delicious dish.

In fact, this Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites) Recipe utilizes all of these flavors, with cilantro being one of the key ingredients. In this particular recipe, add ¼ cup of cilantro, though how much cilantro you actually use in your canned corn is up to you. Know that cilantro tends to have a very strong and distinct flavor, so make sure you really love its taste before you pair it with canned corn. Also, keep in mind that in most cases, cilantro will be added at the end of the cooking process rather than before. Be sure to heat your canned corn kernels all the way through before adding your cilantro, and then serve warm.

Adding onions, shallots, or scallions to canned corn is a subtle upgrade that makes all the difference in flavor. Though it might seem a bit strange to add onions to your corn, doing so even once might change your mind. You can incorporate onion, shallots, or scallions into canned corn in many ways. The first is to simply sauté diced onion along with your canned corn in butter along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook until heated through. Another way to add onion, shallots, or scallions is through the use of a specific recipe, as in the case of this creamy corn dip.

This delectable dip makes use of frozen corn, but you could totally swap that out for the canned variety. Add to it sour cream, mayonnaise, shredded cheddar, cilantro, and a few other ingredients before working in some fresh chopped scallions. If you are wondering what scallions are and how to use them, know that scallions are basically the same thing as green onions and are typically tossed in at the end of a dish or as a garnish, as seen in the previously mentioned corn dip recipe. The green onions offer a crispy, fresh bite to canned corn that is unmatched when compared to other onion types.

Adding bell peppers to canned corn isn't a novel idea, but it sure is tasty. Some types of canned corn already feature bell peppers, as in the case of Mexican-style corn, also known as "fiesta" corn, which is often sold in stores. Thankfully, this kind of corn can also be made at home. The beauty of making canned corn with bell peppers is that you can add any type of bell pepper you'd like, along with other additions, to make the dish your own. Select from a range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, and green bell pepper varieties. Adding onion to the mix often further intensifies flavors, as the taste of the onion marries with the distinct savor of bell peppers to deliver a harmonious and scrumptiously delicious combo.

To add bell peppers to canned corn, first add butter to a skillet and sauté your onion and bell peppers over medium heat. If you're worried about your butter burning, add a little oil to it beforehand; don't worry, there's a science behind mixing butter and oil when cooking that makes this tip work. Once your bell peppers have softened and your onions are translucent, add your canned corn and stir until heated through. Finish off the dish by seasoning it with salt and pepper. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you could also throw in a dash of spice. Some of our favorite fiesta corn additions include smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic, and lime juice.

Speaking of spices, adding them to canned corn can take things up a notch in terms of flavor, and you don't necessarily need to add extra ingredients, like onion and bell pepper, to do it. Adding a dash of any spice will amp things up, but Southwestern-inspired spices are particularly tasty. Cumin, for example, will add a robust smoky flavor, while chili powder can add depth and lots of rich color. Paprika comes in two major forms: sweet or smoked. While neither is (typically) spicy, smoked paprika is by far the most flavorful of the two. Sprinkle either type of spice over your canned corn before heating it through.

We should note that while adding Southwestern seasonings to canned corn is indeed delicious, they can also overpower this modest veggie if not carefully used. Keep things light when adding your seasonings in the beginning, tasting as you go; you can always add more later.

Adding bright green jalapeños (or any spicy pepper, for that matter) will add a pop of color to your canned corn along with plenty of heat. When adding jalapeños to canned corn, you won't always need to cook them first; simply dice and throw them into your recipe along with the other ingredients. Some recipes, like corn and black bean Mexican casserole, may require you to roast your jalapeños or cook them using other methods before adding them to your canned corn. Just keep in mind that the membrane within the jalapeño produces the most heat. Thus, if you only want to add jalapeños to your canned corn for the flavor and color they bring, then removing the seeds and pith first might be the best route. 

Some other popular types of peppers you could add to canned corn include poblano peppers, chipotle peppers, Serrano peppers, and even banana peppers. Keep in mind that different peppers feature varying levels of heat, with the aforementioned Serrano peppers being considerably hotter than jalapeños. Choose wisely and know what you're getting into before tossing peppers into your next canned corn dish.

If you've ever eaten Mexican street corn salad (otherwise known as "esquites"), you know there's usually a rich coating that covers the corn kernels. In most cases, this creamy concoction is mayo, which is often an integral part of street corn recipes. Even so, in some instances, you may be able to substitute the mayo for ranch, which provides an easy and flavorful, albeit non-traditional way, to add creaminess to your canned corn salad.

Let's start with the mayo. When adding it to canned corn, try using the fire-roasted canned corn variety, such as Hunt's Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, as this will more closely mimic the flavor of grilled corn often found in esquites. Drain the canned corn and sauté it along with diced onion, jalapeño, and or any other ingredients you wish to use.

If you want to use ranch instead of mayo, you'll follow the same process. As your corn cooks, prepare your ranch along with other tasty ingredients like lime juice and cheese. You can use this sauce to coat your canned corn, making it a delicious yet easy-to-prepare side dish.

Beans and canned corn might seem like an odd duo, yet many Mexican recipes feature this winning combination. Incorporate canned corn with any bean variety, and you'll discover how scrumptious this mixture can be. Prepare a simple side of beans and corn by draining the beans and canned corn before adding the two ingredients to a saucepan and heating them through. Want something a little more fancy? Consider using the combination in pan-fried Southwest egg rolls or scrambled eggs. Add fresh ingredients to the mix, like tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese, before serving the dish alongside salsa.

Also, unless you are serving the beans and corn as a simple side dish, you won't necessarily need to cook the corn beforehand when placed in something hot like a burrito, taco, or casserole. If you really want to wow your tastebuds, you may even try roasting your canned corn for maximum flavor.

As for which beans you should combine canned corn with, the sky's the limit. Black beans provide a beautiful contrast against the pale yellow hue of corn kernels, and kidney beans, though non-traditional, add interesting texture, color, and flavor. You can even mix canned corn into refried beans or add it as part of your next white bean chili.

Tossing fresh tomatoes into your canned corn adds fresh flavor and loads of beautiful color. When adding tomato, the best course of action is to drain and heat your canned corn through before adding freshly diced tomatoes to the mix just before serving. Choose from a variety of tomato types, including Roma tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and more, depending on what you have on hand. And though you'll usually add tomatoes to canned corn uncooked, some recipes may require you to roast your tomatoes alongside other ingredients like garlic, jalapeños, and onion.

If you want to make things easier, consider using canned tomatoes instead of tomatoes that are freshly diced. Fire-roasted tomatoes pack tons of flavor, as do garlic and herb canned tomatoes, such as Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano and other varieties. To upgrade canned corn using canned tomatoes, add the tomatoes with their juices to a skillet. Sprinkle in any seasonings you'd like to use and cook until most of the juice has evaporated. Drain your canned corn and fold it into your seasoned tomatoes. Continue cooking until the mixture is heated through.

We've already explored the benefits of adding creamy components like mayo and ranch to canned corn, and cream cheese is yet another daring option to consider. Though not traditionally associated with yummy eats like Mexican street corn, cream cheese makes its debut in other simple yet tasty recipes. This Crock Pot creamed corn recipe, for example, is a rich side dish that combines cream cheese with other components like Greek yogurt. Add honey, sautéed onions, shallots, butter, and seasonings in the mix and throw the concoction your slow cooker for a couple of hours.

If you're looking for an even simpler version of creamed corn, try draining your corn and mixing it with cream cheese before heating it through. Add in a few basic seasonings along with a bit of parsley for color. It may not be the fanciest side dish, but given its simplicity, it is still absolutely delicious.

If you think canned corn only works well in Latin-inspired dishes, think again. There are tons of ways to upgrade canned corn outside of Mexican cuisine. Consider Korean corn cheese, for example. If you've never heard of it, think of Korean corn cheese as a traditional fondue on steroids. Each kernel is coated in cheese along with butter, onion, seasonings, and other ingredients to produce a decadent canned corn dish.

Another simple way to add cheese to canned corn is to try a corn pudding recipe. With this particular recipe, you'll sauté your corn in butter before mixing it with unsuspecting ingredients like eggs, ricotta cheese, and more. The mixture then gets topped with a layer of cheddar cheese before it is baked and enjoyed. In need of other ideas? Consider melting cream cheese in a saucepan along with drained canned corn and a bit of butter. Add your favorite shredded cheese to the mix, stir, and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before digging in.

Adding honey or sugar to canned corn isn't always necessary given that corn is already naturally sweet. Even so, there are times when additional sweetener can amp up the flavor of corn, especially when combined with other ingredients. Some recipes like Southern fried corn merge sugar with butter, salt, pepper, and bacon grease. Recipes involving sugar in canned corn also benefit from impromptu add-ins, such as onion, jalapeño, bell pepper, as these can make the flavor of your dish more interesting and complex.

If using table sugar makes you wince a bit, try adding natural honey instead for sweetness. The slightly floral notes of honey impart a unique flavor to the corn, and melds with the butter to produce comforting flavor. Just be careful not to burn your canned corn when adding sugar or honey; always heat the corn over low to medium heat to prevent scorching.

We've already mentioned using bacon grease to fry up canned corn, but you can't get bacon grease without frying bacon, right? Adding bacon to canned corn gives it a salty savory flavor, but the fun doesn't stop there — recipes like carbonara-style corn shakshuka also utilize pancetta, which is salted pork belly very similar to bacon but packed with tons more flavor.

To use pancetta or bacon in canned corn, first fry your bacon or pancetta in a skillet. If your bacon isn't diced already, make sure you dice it before adding it to your pan. Fry the bacon or pancetta until brown and crispy before removing it with a slotted spoon. From there, drain your canned corn, pour it in the pan, and fry it up using the leftover grease from the bacon. If there's too much bacon fat left over, it might help to remove some so that only about 1 to 2 tablespoons remains. Fry your corn about five minutes or until heated through. Finally, stir your bacon or pancetta into the corn and adjust seasonings as needed. If you plan to use salt, be sure to go light; bacon and pancetta tend to be quite salty and going overboard with it may ruin your dish.

Out of all of the fun and interesting canned corn upgrades mentioned in this post, there's still room for the basics. Salt, pepper, and butter are also great ways to season canned corn, though not as innovative as some of the others. To add these simple seasonings to canned corn, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add your canned corn, and sauté the corn until heated through. Finish the corn by seasoning it with salt and pepper to taste. Don't like pepper? You can totally omit it. Whether or not you leave the juice from your canned corn in the saucepan is up to you; leaving it there won't hurt anything, but draining the corn first usually leads to richer, more flavorful results.

Also, don't forget the flavor that adding other seemingly "basic" seasonings bring to mundane veggies like corn. Adding a sprinkle of garlic powder, a hint of granulated onion, or a dash of cayenne pepper have the potential to give canned corn a serious lift. Try a combination of these seasonings or keep it simple with just salt for a different spin on canned corn every time.