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How to make canned corn taste better

Canned corn may feel like it’s less than fancy but you can make any store bought version feel full of slow-cooked home grown flavor with just two simple ingredients.

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This post was updated to cut the fluff May 2025

  • Fresh corn is wonderful to cook down when you have it. But it’s also a lot of work and not everyone has time for that.
  • If you use canned corn get one with low or no added salt and add your own to taste. Likely more than this recipe calls for.
  • The liquid in canned corn isn’t bad for you.
  • Use real butter and not margarine or Country Crock
  • To slow cook, heat on the stove first to evaporate the liquids then transfer to the slow cooker to keep warm.

Variations and additions you can add to this base recipe

You can go wild if you want to! Some ideas you may want to try:

  • A dash of cajun seasoning
  • A couple of cloves of crushed garlic
  • Chopped fresh herbs like parsley
  • Several grinds of fresh black pepper
  • Three or four tablespoons of heavy cream added at the end of cooking
  • A little heat with some diced fresh jalapenos
  • Add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or honey if your corn isn’t a sweet variety
a skillet of corn on a table with a spoon in it

How to make canned corn taste better

Canned corn can taste like homemade with a few simple steps
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 2 people
Author Rachel Ballard

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15 ounce can Sweet corn 1 bag frozen sweet corn kernels will substitute
  • 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt I prefer sea salt, see note 1

Instructions
 

  • Drain half the water from your can of corn and place the corn in a 9" skillet. If you are making a larger batch, use any size pan or pot that will hold the corn without spilling.
  • Add the butter and salt and bring the skillet to a gentle simmer over medium high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and stir occasionally so the corn doesn't burn. Cook until the liquid is almost totally gone and just a couple of tablespoons remain in the bottom.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

Note 1: If your corn is unsalted, consider using 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add half and taste it first, then add the rest if needed. 
To make this dish for more than 2 people, simply multiply the ingredients. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 391mgPotassium: 5mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @feastandfarm and hashtag it #feastandfarm
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

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2 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Even easier… pour out the water. Add the corn to a small fry pan and add milk, simmer until hot and you have fresh picked corn.

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.