Mexican Air Fryer Corn On The Cob

Name: Mexican Air Fryer Corn on the Cob + Grill Version
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 3 ears corn on the cob (husks removed); low calorie cooking spray; toppings (salt, lemon zest, chopped cilantro)

Jump to Recipe

This Mexican Air Fryer Corn On the Cob, made with pantry staples, is juicy and cooked to tender charred perfection in just 10 minutes. Campfire and grill version added too.

Suitable for Vegan, Gluten Free and Low Carb diets. Post includes Weight Watchers Points.

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

three pieces of Air Fryer Corn on the Cob topped with fresh herbs and served on a white plate with lime wedges

Making Juicy Air Fryer Corn on the Cob is just amazing. Great for the summer and all year round since I don’t need to light up the grill or heat up the oven to get that irresistible side dish.

So yeah, two basic ingredients, 10 minutes and a whole load of adaptable toppings and we got this awesome Mexican Crispy Corn on the Cob that is perfect all year round.

three pieces of Air Fryer Corn on the Cob served on a white plate with a lime wedge

This Air Fryer Corn on the Cob is a great snack, main dish (for those “we are all too tired to cook days”), or the perfect side dish to all your juicy Air Fryer Burgers, tacos, and Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas or grilled chicken and fish. You can also cut off the corn kernels and add them to a salad, salsa or even pasta.

PS if you prefer to cook your corn on the cob differently then I give you a campfire and grill version too. And if you like Air Fryer vegetables then check out these Air Fryer Green Beans, these delicious Air Fryer Zucchini Fries and these Air Fryer Beets also.

Why Make This Easy Air Fryer Corn On The Cob Recipe

Budget friendly – made with affordable pantry staples.
Easy – with minimal prep time and effort.
Versatile – easy to adapt with your favorite toppings.
Delicious – even picky eaters will devour this meal.
Leftovers – a great way to use up leftovers.

Ingredient Notes

Fresh corn – this recipe calls for fresh sweet corn which you can grab from the grocery store, farmers market our you own garden produce.
Oil – use olive oil or low calories spray.
Optional toppings – include salt and black pepper, citrus zest, fresh herbs like cilantro, etc.

Ready to learn how to make Air Fried Corn on the Cob? Gather up your ingredients and I will show you….

How To Cook Corn on the Cob In Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
Wash ears of corn and pat dry.
Add the corn on the cob to a bowl and spray with some low-calorie spray and the best salt ever and combine.
Place corn in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes, turning a couple of times during cooking so that they cook evenly.
Remove corn carefully and serve topped with some extra salt, lemon zest and chopped cilantro.

Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness, then adding more time as needed.

Air Fryer Corn On The Cob Tips

Make sure the corn is dry before spraying with cooking spray.
If you don’t have a cooking spray you can use olive oil but this will increase the calorie count of the portion.
Turn the corn a couple of times during cooking so that they cook evenly.
Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Make sure there is space to allow for maximum hot air circulation so that they cook nice and evenly. You may need to cook this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
If you corn ears are large you may need to cut them down to fit into the basket for air frying. Feel free to use corn half instead.
Feel free to use frozen corn cobs instead but you will need to add on a few more minutes to cook frozen corn.
Learn How To Preheat Your Air Fryer and wether to put Oil In An Air Fryer.

How to Make Campfire Corn On The Cob (or BBQ Grilled Corn).

Light your campfire or grill to medium heat.
Spray the corn with a little cooking spray or lightly rub on some olive oil.
Grill the corn over the campfire or grill for about 4 minutes on each side, turning regularly until the corn is cooked and charred, make sure to turn it every few minutes.
When done take it off the grill and serve topped with some extra salt, lemon zest and chopped cilantro.

three pieces of cooked Air Fryer Corn on the Cob inside the air fryer basket

Delicious Variations

This healthier corn on the cob recipe is simple using only low-calorie spray and salt as a base. However, you can season it with a variety of other spices to your taste. Here are a few suggestions for you to try:

Add butter – add regular melted butter or vegan butter to your taste.
Add a little spice or seasoning – use Cajun spice, cumin, harissa, Italian seasoning and smoked paprika.
Add heat – using chili, red pepper flakes, cayenne, chipotle, etc.
Add cheese – feel free to add vegan cheese, Parmesan Cheese or some crumbled Mexican Cotija cheese. (so good!)

Storage

For best results, cook the corn just before you want to serve it.
Uncooked – keep the husk on and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Cooked – store completely cooled corn, wrapped in foil in your refrigerator for 2- 3 days.

FAQs

How Long to Cook Corn on the Cob in The Air Fryer

For this air fryer roasted corn on the cob you need 10 minutes. If you want your corn a bit more charred then add a couple of minutes cooking time.

How Else Can I Cook Corn on the Cob?

Corn can be boiled, steamed, oven roasted or cooked in the Instant Pot. However you cook them, the key thing is to cook the corn for the shortest time possible to preserve the flavor (your family and friends will thank you for serving them delicious corn).

Why Use an Air Fryer?

The air fryer makes it super easy to cook up a healthier version of your fried food favorites. So here is how it works. By circulating heat all around the food, air fryers allow you to ‘fry’ foods using the smallest amount of oil. We’re talking anything from a tablespoon to just a light spray.

And since your food isn’t submerged in the stuff, much less oil gets absorbed during the cooking process, which means your meal contains far less fat and calories overall. #allgoodright.

And a few fun facts about corn on the cob…

Corn is also called maize.
Corn is high in carbs and fiber and also has some protein and vitamins.
Centuries ago there were 307 varieties of sweet corn but now there are only 7.
Corn is actually a grain, not a vegetable.
An ear or cob of corn is actually part of the flower and one individual kernel is actually a seed.
You can find corn on every continent except for Antarctica.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Want another delicious Air Fryer Recipe? Then check out these below.

Serving Suggestions

Pair up a portion of Air Fryer Mexican Corn on the cob with any one of these delicious dishes:

three pieces of Air Fryer Corn on the Cob topped with chopped fresh herbs and served with lime wedges

Weight Watchers Points

A serving contains 0 (yeap, zero!) Blue Plan Smart Points.

Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get The Air Fryer Corn on the Cob Recipe:

Don’t forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Mexican Air Fryer Corn on the Cob + Grill Version! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I’d love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes