Corn cheese is the ultimate fall food.
Move over pumpkin spice, now that the weather has cooled down and it’s time to start making all the cozy fall foods, Korean corn cheese is here to stay. Here’s why you need to make corn cheese today:
It is the best combination of late summer flavors (corn) and warming fall feels (cheesy fondue). A piping hot skillet served at the table with steam still wafting up is the best thing to warm up to after a brisk fall walk. I love how it can be a snack, side, or even a main dish.
If you’ve been to Korean BBQ or out for Korean food and drinks, I’m sure you’ve come across Korean corn cheese. That gloriously golden, cheesy, stringy, hot, and delicious mess of sweet corn and cheese served in a skillet or a little special dish around the grill. It’s sweet, salty, creamy, gooey, and SO delicious. And the best part is that it is the easiest side dish to put together.
What is corn cheese 콘치즈?
Corn cheese is the best KBBQ side dish, fight me! I love melty cheese and I love corn and the combination is just out of this world. Essentially it’s a combination of canned corn, butter, mayo, sugar, and cheese baked up until golden and warm. It’s a classic Korean anju or drinking food. You just scoop it out with a spoon and pop the deliciousness into your mouth. It’s like fondue but with bits of sweet corn in it: sweet, savory, and cheesy.
Why does Korean corn cheese taste so good?
The combination of sweet kernels of corn, the creaminess of mayo, and the meltiness of the cheese combines together into a sweet and savory dish that is out of this world. It has a balance of flavors, textural contrast, and it’s fun to make and eat. Don’t sleep on corn cheese, it’s amazing!
How to make corn cheese
- Gather your ingredients. Drain your corn, melt the butter, measure out the mayo and sugar.
- Stir everything together. In a bowl, mix everything together then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake. Top with some extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden.
- Enjoy!
Corn cheese ingredients
- Corn – I like to use canned corn. It’s super sweet and it’s what they use in restaurants. You can also use fresh or frozen corn, more on that below.
- Butter – Butter and corn just go together.
- Mayo – The best mayo to use is Kewpie mayo, it has so much flavor and deliciousness.
- Sugar – A little bit of sugar highlights the sweet and savory combination of corn and cheese.
- Cheese – Melty mozzarella is the best cheese to use but you can use any melty cheese, it’ll just change the flavor. Mozzarella is good because it’s super mild and highlights the flavor of the corn.
How to eat
This is usually served as a side dish or appetizer or alongside alcohol. If you’re doing a whole Korean BBQ party, you can serve it along with all the other banchan. Or, serve it on its own with some ice cold beer or soju as the best drinking snack.
What kind of corn
Usually they use canned corn in Korea, but you can use fresh corn too. If you’re using fresh in season corn, simply cut it off the cob and sauté it for a bit longer in the butter. You can also use frozen corn as well.
What kind of cheese
Mozzarella is the meltiest, stretchiest cheese and is what is usually used but you can go for any melty cheese: colby, harvarti, swiss, fontina, monterey jack, provolone, American. Imagine corn cheese with melty cheese hot from the oven and then burrata torn on top?! The creaminess!
Variations
This is usually a pretty simple dish, but the beauty of it is that you can add in so many things! Try:
- diced onions
- diced chilis
- crispy bacon
- bulgogi
- tteokbokki
- Korean fried chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of corn?
I like to use canned corn because it’s easy and it tastes good. Canned corn has all the nutrients of fresh, it’s picked at the height of ripeness, and it’s actually cheaper than fresh corn. Frozen corn works too, just be sure to defrost it and drain it well. After canned and frozen comes fresh, but you have to peel the husks and cut it off the cob. I feel like fresh corn is best enjoyed grilled or on the cob.
Do I need a skillet?
Nope, you can just any oven safe dish as long as it can withstand the heat. I like to use a skillet because it retains the heat longer and keeps the cheese hot and melty, but any casserole dish will work great.
Where do they serve corn cheese?
They serve corn cheese at most Korean BBQ places and also at drinking places and bars. It’s considered anju, which means food you eat with alcohol. Anju foods are usually delicious addictive foods that pair well with soju and beer.
I hope you have some soon. It’s truly comforting and will make you feel cozy and good inside!
xoxo steph
Ingredients
- 15 oz corn drained well, 1 can
- 1/4 cup mayo Kewpie preferred
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix together the drained corn, mayo, melted butter, sugar, and half of the cheese. If desired, stir in 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Scoop the corn mix into an ovenproof dish or skillet and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Broil on high for 1-2 minutes until the top is toasty and brown. Remove and enjoy!
Thanks for sharing! I love corn and this recipe looks amazing. I will be making this soon.
Can’t rate as I haven’t tried yet. What size skillet do you use? Looks and sounds so good that I have to try.
hi, its an 8 inch skillet :)
interesting, new one for me, and I can see how this evolved paired with alcohol! thank you