Description
A quick, sweet, and savory side dish made with caramelized frozen corn, butter, honey, and spices. This one-skillet meal is ready in under 15 minutes and offers restaurant-quality flavor without the hassle.
Ingredients
- Frozen corn kernels (about 4 ears worth if using fresh)
- Unsalted butter (high quality recommended)
- Raw honey (clove or orange blossom works well)
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder or cayenne pepper
- Fresh lime juice
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron or heavy-bottomed) over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the butter to the hot skillet and let it melt completely until it foams slightly, but do not let it brown.
- Add the frozen corn directly to the pan without thawing. Spread it out in an even layer and let it sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes to caramelize.
- Stir the corn and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and mostly browned.
- Sprinkle garlic powder, chili powder, and salt over the corn. Stir well to coat and toast the spices for about 1 minute.
- Drizzle the honey over the corn and toss quickly to coat. Keep heat at medium to prevent burning the honey. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Stir gently to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or lime if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not thaw the frozen corn before cooking; the ice crystals help steam the corn while the hot pan crisps it. If the corn sticks, add a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure proper caramelization. For a vegan version, substitute butter with olive oil or vegan butter and honey with maple syrup. Do not freeze leftovers as the texture will become mushy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3
Keywords: honey butter corn, one skillet recipe, quick side dish, sweet corn, caramelized corn, weeknight dinner, vegetarian side, gluten-free side