Corn Ribs Recipe | Side Dish Ideas (2024)

Side Dish Ideas is an Amazon Associate and may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.

My grilled Corn Ribs Recipe is a super fun vegetable side dish packed with flavor! Corn ribs are sweet, savory, and so easy to make. Using only 6 ingredients, they're ready in under 30 minutes! Your family will ask for them again and again!

Best Corn Ribs Recipe

If you love corn on the cob as much as my family and I do, you're going to love corn ribs! Corn ribs are corn on the cob cut into smaller sections before cooking, for a deliciously crispy texture similar to the caramelization on an actual pork or beef rib. Seriously, these are so good!

This tasty corn side dish is deliciously savory with a perfect blend of spices and the charred perfection of a grill. With just the right balance of sweet and smoky flavors, corn ribs pair beautifully with my luscious garlic butter sauce!

You are going to love how easy my corn ribs recipe is, and how fun it is to serve them as a spin on the classic corn on the cob side dish! Try serving corn riblets as a side for a summer cookout, part of a holiday gathering (try these at Thanksgiving!), or for a fun family dinner idea.

Corn Ribs Ingredients

• Corn cobs, cut into quarters
• Melted butter
• Olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Paprika
• Salt and pepper,to taste

How to Cook Corn Ribs

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill, or grill pan on the stove, to medium-high heat. Cut corn on the cob into quarters to form corn ribs and place them in a casserole dish.
   
2. Cover the corn completely with melted butter and olive oil.
   
3. Season with paprika and salt and pepper to taste to cover each rib evenly, followed by minced garlic. Flip the corn to fully coat each piece in seasoning and the butter-oil mixture.
   
4. After heating the grill, add corn ribs and cook until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip, continuing to cook until charred on the opposite side. The corn will begin to curl to form an arched shape like a rib. Continue to brush corn ribs with garlic butter as they cook for maximum flavor.
   
5. Once charred and curled to corn ribs perfection, remove from the heat, serve, and enjoy!

Grilled Corn Ribs Recipe Tips

• This recipe is for 16 ribs total. 16 ribs feeds about 4-5 people.
• Try serving these corn ribs with an alternative seasoning like Mexican street corn seasoning!
• You can make corn ribs in the oven by baking them for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, but keep in mind all ovens are different. The corn ribs will curl like ribs into an arch shape when they are ready. Broil them on high for 1-2 minutes for a char.

Corn Ribs Recipes FAQs

How do you cut corn on the cob into quarters?

When cutting and preparing corn ribs, safety is the most important technique! The corn ribs need to be cut before they are cooked, which means you will need a very sharp knife and a stable cutting board.

Raw corn is very firm, and you will be cutting straight through the core of the corn on the cob. It's easy, but do not rush this process! Here is how I cut my corn into corn ribs:

1. Cut the ends off of each corn on the cob.
2. Take each corn on the cob and cut it in half lengthwise.
3. Cut each halved corn on the cob lengthwise again, quartering the cob and leaving you with 4 pieces or ribs.

Tips for Cutting Corn Ribs

• Always use a very sharp kitchen knife - the wider the blade, the better
• Secure the cutting board by placing a damp paper towel under the board
• To help hold the corn cob in place, either place it on a paper towel or under a kitchen or tea towel
• Cut slowly by placing the tip of the knife into one end of the corn cob, then carefully lowering the blade down through the rest of the corn

How to Eat Corn Ribs

Eating a corn rib could not be more simple- it's just like eating corn on the cob! Because of the way the "ribs" are quartered, simply pick the corn up on both ends and eat across the rib horizontally.

To keep its shape, the core of the rib is still intact, and just like corn on the cob, this part is discarded. By the way, discarded corn ribs are excellent for a compost pile!

Vegan Instructions

This recipe uses regular butter, which is not vegan. To make this a vegan-friendly recipe, simply omit the butter and use olive oil or use your favorite butter alternative. This recipe is fantastic with a plant-based butter or avocado butter!

Do corn ribs need to be grilled?

You don't need a grill (or grill pan) to make corn ribs. There are many ways to prepare them, including oven-baked, fried, and air fried.

To make corn ribs using other cooking methods, use the same seasoning blend and garlic butter recipe.

How to Cook Corn Ribs in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Arrange corn ribs on the baking sheet with space between each rib.
3. Bake corn ribs for 30 minutes. Brush the corn ribs with a little bit of garlic butter after baking, then broil them on high for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye when using the broiler to make sure the ribs do not burn.

How to Cook Corn Ribs in a Fryer

For maximum flavor, use a fryer! This method cooks the corn in an almost reverse order. Here is what I do:

1. Cut the corn according to recipe instructions.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large, shallow frying pan between 350-375ºF (about ½ inch of oil is enough).
3. Fry the corn in batches for until browned on all sides, 4-6 minutes. Drain corn ribs on a plate lined with a paper towel.
4. Immediately after frying, toss corn ribs in recipe seasoning.

Air Fryer Corn Ribs Recipe

The air fryer is a total game changer for making corn ribs! Air frying corn keeps the inside kernels juicy and sweet while the outside develops an irresistibly crispy texture. Follow the instructions right up until you would grill the corn ribs, then:

1. Line the baking tray of an air fryer with the corn ribs, leaving space between each rib. Depending on the size of your air fryer, this may need to be done in batches.
2. Place the air fryer at 375ºF and cook each rib for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
3. Try brushing on some extra garlic butter to the ribs after flipping them- it adds so much flavor!

Elote Corn Ribs (Mexican Street Corn)

1. Prepare the corn ribs according to recipe instructions, but when it comes time to add the seasonings, also add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon chili powder.
2. Grill the corn ribs according to recipe instructions.
3. Instead of using a garlic butter sauce, whip up a quick elote corn sauce by adding together ¼ cup mayonnaise and ½ cup sour cream.
4. Drizzle elote sauce over the grilled corn ribs.
5. Garnish with ½ cup cojita cheese crumbles, sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime!

Korean Corn Ribs

1. Cut and quarter 4 ears of corn according to the same recipe instructions.
2. For the seasoning, mix together 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons Korean chili paste (you can also substitute 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper plus 1 tablespoon sweet paprika if you can't find it).
3. Toss the corn ribs with the seasoning and grill according to recipe instructions.
4. Garnish corn ribs with thinly sliced green onion and sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Best Corn Side Dishes

• Baked Corn Casserole
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Mexican Corn Casserole
• Street Corn Recipe
• Mexican Street Corn Casserole

Try my corn recipes alongside my Sautéed Spinach Recipe and White Button Mushrooms!

More Grilled Side Dishes