Of Course You Can Make Corn On The Cob In An Air Fryer

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

In recent years, the air fryer has become the darling appliance of the kitchen. There are so many dishes that can be cooked in one that people have written entire books on the subject, including United Kingdom-based author and all-around air fryer expert Clare Andrews. She has penned two cookbooks devoted to the appliance, including "The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook: One Basket Meals," and she's the person behind the aptly named @airfryeruk Instagram page. Her recipe repertoire includes dishes like spicy Doritos-coated chicken, crunchy air-fried fish, and roasted corn on the cob.

Of course, we've heard of basic boiled corn on the cob, grilled corn, and even smoked corn on the cob, but using an air fryer was an intriguing idea to us, to say the least. The Takeout asked Andrews about the advantages of using the appliance over other traditional methods, and she told us, "The high, dry heat when using an air fryer and the rapid air circulation create a mini-roasting effect, which will lead to a beautiful, sweet, golden-brown spot on the kernels, like you'd get from a grill or oven, but without needing an open flame or long roast time." 

Honestly, if you can cook hard-boiled eggs in an air fryer and even Ree Drummond's quick and easy grilled cheese sandwiches, then why not a few ears of corn? "It's also so much faster to cook in the air fryer, using less pots and with less mess too!" Andrews told us. 

What's great about Clare Andrews air fryer corn on the cob is that there is no big pot of water to boil and no large grill to preheat. Sure, you'll preheat your fryer, but this takes just a few minutes. For delicious air fried corn, Andrews gave us a few tips. "The husk and silk will burn or dry out in the air fryer, so remove the outer husk and silky threads before air frying," she said. "You really want those kernels fully exposed to get caramelized and crispy edges." A spritz of butter or oil introduces some moisture, encourages caramelization, and helps the seasoning stick on. Andrews is a fan of sprinkling on salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and sometimes some garlic powder for extra flavor. 

As for the cook time, she preheats her appliance to 190 degrees Celsius, which is the equivalent of 374 degrees Fahrenheit. If your air fryer is programmed for Fahrenheit and adjusts to temperatures by an even 10 degrees at a time like mine, you can heat yours to 370 or 380 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Andrews, it should take 8 to 10 minutes for a single layer of corn cobs to cook — just make sure to flip halfway through. "Serve when the kernels are slightly golden," she said. You can enjoy this tasty air fried corn right off the cob as soon as it's cool enough to handle or slice off the kernels to make a smoky corn salsa. Simply mix the browned kernels with cherry tomatoes, avocado, green or red onion, cilantro, some lime juice, and a little cotija cheese.