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Think frozen corn is boring? Think again. Learn the secret to how to cook corn the right way! This easy method turns frozen corn into a buttery, flavorful side dish everyone will love.
I’m Kind of Obsessed With Corn
Want to know a fun little fact about me? Growing up, corn was my favorite food. I told everyone. I loved it so much that whenever my mom wanted me to try a new food, she’d say, “It tastes like corn!” And I believed her. It wasn’t until years later (while eating zucchini) that I thought, “Wait… this does not taste like corn.” Yep, I was totally gaslit into trying new foods, and honestly? Kind of genius on my mom’s part.
There’s just something about crisp, sweet, corn on the cob that can’t be beat. Our recipe for How to Make Corn on the Cob is absolute perfection, not to mention our recipes for fresh Grilled Corn on the Cob, Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, and my personal favorite, Mexican Street Corn (aka Elote). But fresh corn isn’t always in season. The good news? You can get that same delicious flavor using frozen corn! This easy, fool-proof recipe is buttery, flavorful, and downright addictive.
🩷 Erica
Rave Reviews From Readers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“FAN-DAMN-TASTIC! We thought it was summertime and right off the cob!!! DELICIOUS!” — hs
“Huge hit at Thanksgiving this year! Everyone asked me for the recipe.” — Colleen Mallory
“I’ve literally never commented on any recipe but this deserves some praise. SO DELICIOUS.” — Tessa
“Um, omg! This is SO good. How did I cook frozen corn so badly all my life!?” — Sarah
“The corn was the BEST part of the meal. Thank you!!” — Toni
Table of Contents
Ingredients for the Best Frozen Corn
Frozen corn – Make sure the bag isn’t punctured and that the corn isn’t freezer burned. You want bright, full, yellow (or white) kernels.
Butter – What’s corn without a healthy amount of butter? I usually use salted sweet cream butter but unsalted is great too. You can always add more salt to taste before serving.
Sugar – The secret ingredient. Add what you want to taste, up to a tablespoon (you aren’t making candy corn here so don’t add too much).
How to Cook Frozen Corn Step-by-Step
- Add the frozen corn to a colander and rinse under cold water until all the ice is gone. Shake off any extra water.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the corn and butter. Sprinkle in the sugar and stir everything together.
- Cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the corn is heated through and the butter is fully melted. Be careful not to overcook.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately
Pro Tips for Cooking Frozen Corn
- Don’t BOIL or microwave frozen kernel corn! Just don’t do it. I know the package tells you to do it, but trust me, it zaps all the flavor out of the corn.
- Use a skillet. Stir-frying or sautéing frozen corn keeps it crisp and bright and tastes much better than roasted corn in the oven.
- Add a little sugar. It’s ok, it won’t taste weird and it will bring out the natural sweet flavor.
- Don’t salt until ready to serve. Salting the corn too early can dehydrate it and it won’t taste as sweet. Wait until after you’ve cooked it, then salt and pepper to taste for perfectly tender kernels.
READ NEXT: 25+ Traditional and Easy Sunday Dinner Ideas
More Variations to Try
- Easy Seasoned Corn: Add 2 cloves minced garlic or some garlic powder and ½ teaspoon thyme before cooking.
- Mexican Street Corn Cups (Elotes en Vaso): You have got to try our Mexican Street Corn Cups. They taste just like the corn cups you can get from Disneyland or a food truck but for a fraction of the price.
- Parmesan Corn: Add 2 cloves minced garlic before cooking. After cooking sprinkle ⅓ to ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese over the top. Add in some fresh herbs for even more flavor.
What to Serve with Corn
Corn is a great side dish to serve alongside just about anything. It pairs perfectly with Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Pork Chops, Pulled Pork, or Steak. For a hearty meal, try it with potatoes on the side, our Perfect Baked Potatoes are the perfect side to serve along with corn. It’s a simple combination that always hits the spot.
It doesn’t need to be completely thawed. Just rinse the corn under cool water until all the ice crystals are gone.
Canned corn can be used in a pinch but some canned corns add preservatives and other sweeteners that can alter the taste. If you use canned corn, adjust the seasonings in the recipe to taste.
We have tried and tested this recipe many times and we think the sweetness is just right. If you are worried about the corn being too sweet, just add the sugar a little at a time until you reach your preferred sweetness.
Throw a handful of skillet-cooked corn into salads, burritos, tacos, casseroles, or soups for extra color and crunch. Or sauté other veggies with the corn and enjoy a beautiful vegetarian lunch or dinner.
Keep leftover corn in an airtight container in the fridge. Try to use it up within about five days.
More Tasty Corn Recipes
Wanting to find more incredible corn side dishes, main dishes, and corn casseroles? Look no further!
Cornbread with Cake Mix
Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Mexican Street Corn Dip
Chipotle Corn Salsa
Mexican Cornbread
Corn Casserole
Creamy Corn Dip
Did you make this corn recipe? We’d love to hear what you thought! Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out. And if you snap a pic, be sure to tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes. 🌽🌽🌽
How to Cook Frozen Corn (the RIGHT way)
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen corn
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Place corn in a colander and rinse with cold water until ice is no longer present. Shake off excess water over the sink.
- Place corn and butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle sugar over corn and stir until butter is melted and corn is hot (about 5-6 minutes). Do not over cook.
- Season with Kosher salt and fresh black pepper if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Don’t BOIL frozen kernel corn! Just don’t do it. I know the package tells you to do it, but trust me, it zaps all the flavor out of the corn.
- Use a skillet. Stir-frying or sautéing frozen corn keeps it crisp and bright and tastes much better than roasted corn in the oven.
- Add a little sugar. It’s ok, it won’t taste weird and it will bring out the natural sweet flavor.
- Don’t salt until ready to serve. Salting the corn too early can dehydrate it and it won’t taste as sweet. Wait until after you’ve cooked it, then salt and pepper to taste.
Delicious. Thank-you so much
Could you please guide me. I’m cooking for 35 people. I love the recipe on how you cook corn. The problem is I can’t serve this dish immediately. I’ll need to keep it warm without ruin this dish. Can you advise me please. Thanks Marion
Hi Marion, Cooking for 35 is a challenge. I would recommend preparing it and keeping it warm in a slow cooker. You will probably need 2 or 3 to serve that many people. I hope this helps!
it so good I love corn
My family said the corn was the BEST part of the meal. Thank you!!
What a compliment! Thank you for sharing this! 🙂
I definitely want to try cooking frozen corn this way. Some of the add in ingredients listed in the article sound delicious.
The recipe states to serve immediately. I would like to make a large batch to bring to Thanksgiving. Any thoughts on reheating/making ahead? I will wait until serving to add salt. Thank you!
How far ahead? You can keep this warm in a crock pot with a little extra butter so it doesn’t dry out. Keep it covered and on warm until ready to serve. Hope this helps!
No sugar in my corn. It’s sweet enough on its own. My husband would notice it and hate it.
I ha e made this several times and loves it! We are going to a family gathering a couple hundred miles away at a rented hall. Can I make the corn and heat it in the microwave? There is no stove available!
That should be okay!
My husband loved it!
Delicious! The corn tasted amazing! I have never been partial to boiling corn and now will never use that method again. I used butter as was recommended but did not use sugar. Thank you for sharing!
Huge hit at Thanksgiving this year! Everyone asked me for the recipe.
This skillet corn was amazing! Thank you I will never boil again.
Super easy and delicious. I didn’t add sugar as the frozen corn I had was already quite sweet, and since I am vegan I used margarine instead of butter
Delicious and such an easy recipe! Taste like fresh buttered corn on the cob. Definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing!
I love this! So easy and delicious! If I am out of frozen corn, could I use canned corn??
Sure!
FAN-DAMN-TASTIC! WE thought it was summertime and right off the cob!!! DELICIOUS!
Should we use unsalted or salted butter?
Either is fine!
I made 2 batches. One with salted butter and the other with unsalted butter. After I sprinkled the sugar in both (I used a little less sugar than what the recipe calls for) and BOTH batches were really good!
I noticed a typo in the Mexican street corn variant. I think “queso” was autocorrected. Looking forward to trying this!
Thanks for catching that!
This sounds great! My teeth are terrible, and I’d like to cook the corn to be a little less crispy. Slightly longer cook time? Anything else? Thanks so much for this recipe!
I LOVED IT!!!🥰🥰
Thank you for that superb receipe!!
Um, omg! This is SO good. How did I cook frozen corn so badly all my life!?
Hy, You shared a great recipes of corns! Its wonderful.
Love this! I just did this tonight and so glad I did, it was delicious! I will never boil frozen corn again! Thank you!
Love it! Super easy and wonderful
Perfect every time.
Hi! If made this a day ahead and put in the fridge would it work to reheat in the skillet again? Or what do you think the best method would be?
I think that would work! Heating it up in a skillet should be fine!
? Ok to cook ahead of time and keep warm in crock pot?
Sure!
I made the corn with garlic and parmesan cheese for lunch today. DELICIOUS!! Will never eat it any other way. Thank you!!
Yum! Thank you for sharing!
Probably gonna try it!!!
Hi! What do you think is the best method for reheating this if I make it a day ahead and put it in the fridge? Back on the skillet, in the oven?
Back on the skillet should work!
This makes the perfect corn!! I love corn with so many things & it’s the easiest side dish!
I serve corn nearly every week, this tips are changing everything!!
Wow! This REALLY makes a difference! So tasty and good!
I over analyze everything I cook and thought this was delicious. There are only two of us and I didn’t have a full bag of frozen corn anyway so I kind of ballparked the portions, but it turned out really well.
The only addition was paprika.
Thank you for the technique the salt tip was helpful.
I found this because I’ve been dumbfounded on why all of a sudden my frozen corn on the cobs aren’t sucking up the butter and flavor from the water. It doesn’t matter what I put in the pot , the frozen corn on the cob comes out like it was boiled in straight water. Usually they come out sweet salty and spicy snd you can suck the corn and all the juices comes out. Does anyone have any idea why all of a sudden it isn’t working ?
I’ve been doing the same routine for years
That is so strange! I haven’t heard of that happening before! Have you changed where you get your corn from?
Hello,
Im this corn is tasty I love it!! But I had some left overs can I reheat it tomorrow in the microwave?
Sure!
Easy and yummy! A win.
Can’t wait to make these today for dinner! Just a quick question, would the corn be too sweet if used unsalted sweet cream butter in addition to the sugar? Also, never had sugar with my corn does it make the corn too sweet? Thank you!
Unsalted butter will be fine! I don’t think it makes the corn too sweet, it just adds a little bit more flavor! I hope you enjoy it!
Tried this last night. Will never boil frozen corn again! Loved it! I had a large gathering so i cooked up 2 pounds of corn in a large skillet and it worked great.
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Excellent!
I generally avoid canned and/or frozen foods. I dared myself and bought a packet of frozen white kernels last night and used this recipe. AMAZINGLY nice results. I fried it a bit longer, with the sugar and butter; resulting in a caramelized corn that was perfect.
Thank you.
XCLENT! I had been trying to come up with a way to prepare my corn so it didn’t taste so blah. This is the recipe that I have been searching for. Try it, you’ll be very happy!
Can you follow your recipe, put in a casserole dish and reheat in the oven? Looking for a corn recipe that I can prepare ahead of time for Thanksgiving.
We haven’t tried it that way before, so I can’t definitively say how it will affect the taste and texture! Let us know how it turns out if you do try it!
LOVE THIS RECIPE!! So good! It would be good with coos coos or rice!
Very good
Can I prepare as stated in recipe but use later in a corn salad? Says to serve immediately so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out
I don’t see why not!
I didn’t know you could make frozen corn taste better. Came across this while looking up how long to boil my corn and sugar. Life changing. I’ve literally never commented on any recipe but this deserves some praise. SO DELICIOUS.
Wow thank you so much! We are honored to be your first comment! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe so much 🙂 We have a frozen peas recipe that is similar (try it with a little mint– so good)!
We’ve done both the corn and the peas now and LOVE them both! So glad we found this way. Won’t do it any other way now. 😊
Hi, I’m needing to know about sweet corn that has been picked, cut off ears, cooked w/cream and then frozen. My friend in Iowa gave me some freezer bags of it. Kept cold in a good cooler and immediately put in fridge when home this last Wed.
Questions: It’s been 5 days and the smell is still good and I can catch the fragrance of fresh corn-off-cob. I know that re-freezing it would compromise the quality and taste, but would it be inadvisable otherwise?
I’m thinking of using this thawed sweet corn to make scalloped corn, baking it. Can it be frozen ahead for Thanksgiving.
If it was frozen and then thawed, I probably wouldn’t freeze it again, but that’s just me. I would try to use it up right away instead of freezing again. Hope this helps!
For frozen mini corn on the cobs I stand them up on the ends in a square storage bowl and put a little bit of water in the bottom then cover with a paper towel and nuke for about 6 minutes. They taste as good as fresh picked. To reheat them I just wet a paper towel and wrap one and nuke it for a minute. I will have to try this recipe for skillet cooked frozen corn niblets.
Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing!
I also add 1-2 tablespoons of half and half along with the butter and a sprinkle of pepper… no salt, and no sugar.
Best corn ever! So sweet and crisp!
Thank you so much Karen!! 😀 😉