This Instant Pot Corn on the Cob is SO easy and turns out perfect every time – plus I’ve included a bonus Mexican street corn seasoning for you to try!
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Ingredients in this recipe
Corn on the cob comes together SO easily in the Instant Pot! And the best part is that you only need two ingredients: corn and water! You can use anywhere from 2 to 12 cobs of corn to make this recipe.
Because I love Mexican street corn, I’ve included an easy seasoning for the corn that is optional to add. Here’s what you need on hand for that:
- light mayo
- sour cream
- feta or cotija cheese
- cilantro
- garlic, minced
- chili powder & cumin
- lime juice
How to make corn in the Instant Pot
There are just 3 easy steps to making corn on the cob in the Instant Pot:
- Add water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot.
- Add corn cobs, then place lid on Instant Pot and pressure cook for 2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
If desired, you can mix up the ingredients for the Mexican street corn seasoning while the corn is pressure cooking, then you’ll just slather it overtop once it’s all done cooking. It’s so addictive!
Using frozen corn
If fresh sweet corn isn’t available in your area, you can still enjoy Mexican street corn!
Just use frozen ears of corn on the cob and cook them according to the package directions, then spoon the Mexican corn seasoning over the cooked corn.
Another idea is to cook frozen corn niblets and combine them with the street corn seasoning. In Mexico, street vendors sell the corn this way, serving it in a small plastic cup. The locals call it Esquites.
Ingredient substitutions
If you will be making Mexican street corn, here is a list of substitutions for some of the ingredients:
- mayonnaise – To keep the fat and calories down, I use light mayo, but any type will work
- sour cream – Any variety of sour cream will work, as will plain Greek yogurt
- feta or cotija cheese – Any type of crumbly cheese works well, and grated parmesan is a good option too
- cilantro – If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, you can use finely chopped flat leaf parsley instead
- chili powder – This adds just a touch of spice to the corn. For even more spicy heat, you can use ground red pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Cooking corn with potatoes
One of the nice things about the Instant Pot is that using the steamer insert allows you to cook more than one food at a time. It’s a great way to cook two side dishes at once!
If you would like to cook diced potatoes along with the corn on the cob, it’s easy to do!
First, clean and chop the potatoes. If you want to peel the potatoes, go ahead and do that before chopping.
When you’re ready to cook, place the corn onto a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Then, place the potatoes into a steamer basket above the trivet.
Making Mexican street corn
Instant Pot corn on the cob is delicious as is, or slathered with butter. But to add some Mexican flair to your meal, you can add a few toppings to the corn and create Mexican street corn!
While the corn is cooking in the Instant Pot, prep the toppings and seasonings you’ll need. I like to place them into small prep bowls to make assembly easier.
When you remove the warm corn from the Instant Pot, all you need to do is apply the toppings!
- Combine the mayo, sour cream and spices in a bowl.
- Use a butter knife to spread the mixture over the surface of the corn. Alternatively, place the mixture onto a plate, then roll the ears through it.
- Sprinkle the cheese and cilantro over the corn and serve while the corn is still warm.
More seasoning ideas
There are a lot of ways to add flavour to corn on the cob. Here are a just a few popular ideas:
- Chile-Lime – Squeeze fresh lime juice over the corn and then sprinkle kosher salt and chili powder over the top
- Lemon Parmesan – Rub olive oil and lemon juice over the surface of the corn, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
- Cajun seasoning
- Roasted garlic – Roast an entire head of garlic in the oven, then smash the cloves and mix them with olive oil or melted butter. Apply that mixture to warm corn on the cob.
Storing and reheating
Any plain leftover corn should be refrigerated in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. It will store well there for a few days.
The easiest way to reheat corn on the cob is on the stove top.
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then immediately turn off the heat.
- Use tongs to lower the cobs into the hot water. Place a lid on the pot and let the corn rest in the hot water for about 5 minutes.
Freezing cooked corn cobs
You can also freeze cooked corn on the cob; it’s a great idea for easy meal prep! If you freeze it in airtight freezer bags, it should keep well for 3 to 4 months.
More Instant Pot vegetable recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Here’s the steam basket trivet in case you lost the one that comes with your Instant Pot
- Order some corn on the cob holders to make eating it easier
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Learn how to use your Instant Pot to meal prep by subscribing to our newsletter!
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 6 corn cobs (can use anywhere from 2-12 cobs for this recipe)
Optional Mexican street corn seasoning
- 1/3 cup light mayo
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup feta or cotija cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of Instant Pot and then place trivet inside the inner pot.
- Add corn cobs, then place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, if using, mix together ingredients for Mexican street corn seasoning in a large bowl and set aside.
- The Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, then notify you it's done by beeping. Press the Cancel button then do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Carefully remove corn from Instant Pot and serve on a large platter, spooning Mexican street corn seasoning overtop if using. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
