Sweet and Buttery Basil Corn
This Basil Corn is my favorite way to turn a “nothing in the pantry” kind of night into a side you’ll wanna have with every meal. It’s a 15-minute wonder you can whip up right quick that takes a plain old bag of frozen corn and smothers it in a rich, herb-infused butter sauce that’s thickened just enough to stick to your ribs!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Sweet and Buttery Basil Corn
- 🕐 Ready In: 15 minutes
- 👥 Serves: 6
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Frozen corn, Butter or margarine, Dried basil, Corn starch, Salt, Sugar
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This Basil Corn is my favorite way to turn a "nothing in the pantry" kind of night into a side you’ll wanna have with every meal. It’s a 15-minute wonder!
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Garden-Fresh Flavor Without the Garden Work
I’ve spent plenty of summers shucking ears of corn until my thumbs were sore, and while nothing beats fresh sweet corn off the cob, life doesn’t always give us the time for that. This basil corn recipe is my little secret for getting that “farmer’s market” taste using a bag from the freezer!
Most folks think of Italian recipes or a complex pesto recipe when they hear basil, but when you add it to sweet corn with a pinch of sugar, it creates a savory-sweet profile fine as frog’s hair! It’s buttery, it’s aromatic, and it’s a great recipe when you need a side dish that’s more than veggies in a bowl.
I’m very much a corn gal, so it feels like my duty to let you know about my Easy Creamed Corn, Summer Corn Salad, and Baked Corn on the Cob With Herb Butter recipes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen corn
- Butter or margarine
- Dried basil
- Corn starch
- Salt
- Sugar
Tips for the Perfect Basil Corn
- Don’t Overcook: When you bring the corn to a boil, remove it from the heat immediately. You want the corn to be tender-crisp, not mushy!
- The Whisk is Your Friend: When you heat butter and cornstarch in your sauce pot, keep it moving. You’re essentially making a quick herb-filled roux, and you want it to be bubbly and smooth before it hits the corn.
- Fresh vs. Dried: This recipe calls for dried basil because it stands up well to the heat of the butter sauce. However, if you have fresh basil in your garden, you can stir in some thin strips (chiffonade) of basil leaves right before serving for a bright pop of green.
- Check the Grocery Stores: If you can’t find frozen corn, drained canned corn works too! Just skip the boiling step and go straight to the sauce!
How to Make Basil Corn
1. Prep the Corn
Pour your frozen corn into a large pot and cover it with water. Set it over medium-high heat. As soon as that water hits a rolling boil, take the pot off the stove. Drain the corn thoroughly in a colander.
2. Make the Basil Butter Sauce
In a separate small sauce pot over medium heat, add your stick of butter, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and dried basil.
3. Simmer and Blend
Stir the mixture constantly as the butter melts. You’re looking for it to become well-blended and just start to get “bubbly.” This ensures the cornstarch is activated so your sauce will be silky, not watery.
4. Toss and Coat
Pour that warm, fragrant basil mixture over your drained corn. Give it a good stir until every kernel is glistening.
5. Season and Serve
Taste a spoonful (carefully!). If it needs a little kick, a crack of black pepper or a tiny pinch of pepper adds a nice depth.
Serve it warm!
Storing and Reheating
This corn is easy as pie to store. Put any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I recommend putting it back in a small pan over medium heat with a tiny splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce back up. A quick zap in the microwave works too, but the stovetop keeps that “buttery-smooth” texture best.
Serving Ideas
Basil corn plays just as well with a fancy holiday spread as it does with a paper plate. I love serving it alongside Butter Roasted Chicken or Maple Glazed Pork Chops, but it’s also the perfect “something green” (well, herby green!) to tuck next to Southern Dressing With Cornbread and Homemade Mashed Potatoes With Evaporated Milk come Thanksgiving.
If you’re heading to a cookout, try it with a Smoked Burger Recipe or some Crock Pot Pulled Pork, and if you’re just looking for a well-rounded plate, you can’t go wrong pairing it with Easy Roasted Potatoes or Grilled Asparagus.
Ingredients
- 28 ounces frozen corn
- 1 stick 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Pour corn in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat immediately, draining the corn well.
- In a sauce pot, place the stick of butter, corn starch, salt, sugar, and basil.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is well blended and bubbly.
- Pour the mixture over the corn and stir to coat well. Serve warm!
Yay, Christy!
You always give me great food ideas. I have to take a side dish to a potluck this weekend, and this is perfect. Familiar, yet a little different.
Going to make the oatmeal raisin extravaganza cookies when I remember how to turn on the oven. I might have to add a Walgreens size box of Raisinets.
Thank you.
Lawrence
Dear Christy, The corn recipe looks so good.I will make this soon. I can;t wait to read your post each evening. Alwaya exciting to hear what;s going on with you and your family.Your recipes and the stories that go along with them are just terrific.I just can;t wait for the new cookbook to come out. I sure hope you get down my way so we can meet and I can get my copy signed. I live in north Florida just outside of Jacksonville. One question for you, is it o.k. to use Splenda in place of regular sugar in your recipes? Your friend, Jane Burney
Yum.. I can’t wait until my basil starts to come up! I can only imagine how it will taste with fresh!
I just love you and your blog! I might be an Ohioan but my family was the same way. When I was reading about what your mama was saying about be glad you don’t have to work in the fields, I was thinking to myself too that we should be grateful that we are blessed with the meal in this tough economy. Big hugs from up north!
Christy,
I made this tonight and forgot I was using extra-sweet corn to begin with, so my husband called it “candy corn.” But everyone’s plates were clean, so I’m assuming they liked it! I loved it–basil is one of my favorite herbs. Thanks for a simple, quick recipe that tastes like summer!
It is nice to be happy, ain’t it. Wonderful post, Christy.
Corn is my absolute favorite veggie so I am looking forward to a new way to try it. I might do this tonight to go with our baked spaghetti!
Oh, the wisdom of our Mama’s. Mine has been gone a little over a year now and some days I feel like I can’t get through the rest of life without her. Mama was a true southern cook and I miss sharing recipes new and old with her. We lived about 1,000 miles apart but we would watch Food Network and discuss the dishes.
I miss my beloved South but I do embrace my life as a Dixie transplant here in SC Kansas. I tell everyone that I traded my Georgia piney woods for the Kansas prairie winds. If you are ever out this way stop by “Wall Meadows” and visit. No, I don’t have a Meadow. Just a wheat field behind my house that belongs to my neighbor.
Each day is a gift. Hug your Mama! Kiss your spouse and spoil the kids!