A quick Italian-inspired side dish of pan-seared sweet corn with chili pepper and pecorino cheese. So easy and delicious!
Here’s an idea for cooking sweet corn off the cob — It’s an Italian-inspired vegetable side dish with spicy chili, salty cheese and the sweet crunch of fresh corn kernels.
The thing to love about this sauteed corn recipe is that thanks to red chili and sharp pecorino cheese you get a mouthful of hot, salty, and sweet all at once — yum!
Feasting on summer corn on the cob is right up there at the top of life’s edible pleasures. I love the ritual of hitting a local farm stand for super-fresh corn, then shucking it outside in the backyard when we get home (you know — because it gets a little messy).
I often get carried away when corn’s in season, buying more ears than there are people around to eat them. To make sure it doesn’t go to waste, I slice the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife. The corn keeps perfectly in covered container in the fridge for a day or two, and for months in a heavy duty bag in the freezer.
There’s nothing better than reaching into the freezer to find a taste of summer, months after the season is over!
More favorite sweet corn recipes from Familystyle Food:
- Roasted Corn Succotash Salad with Basil and Tomatoes
- Mexican Street-Style Sweet Corn Nachos with Jalapeño Crema
- Lazy Sweet Corn and Mushroom Risotto with Cheddar
sweet and salty sauteed corn with pecorino cheese and chili pepper
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 servings
A quick Italian-inspired sauteed corn side dish with so much flavor!
Make it with fresh off-the-cob summer corn kernels or frozen corn.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 pound corn kernels (from 5 or 6 shucked ears of corn)
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 scallion, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- A chunk of pecorino Romano cheese (or 1/3 cup grated)
- Dried crushed chili pepper
- Handful fresh basil or Italian parsley sprigs, torn or roughly chopped
Instructions
Put the olive oil and shallot in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the corn, chili and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir together. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the corn without stirring for 2 minutes, or until it begins to caramelize lightly.
Turn off the heat and stir in the scallions. Shave some cheese over the corn with a vegetable peeler or grate with rasp grater. Sprinkle the basil over and serve warm or at room temperature.
Courses side dish
Cuisine vegetarian
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Hi there! I’m Karen, a mother of two and a professionally trained cook certified in holistic nutrition.
As the recipe developer, photographer and publisher of Familystyle Food, I share recipes and tips for making easy seasonal meals that are healthy and flavorful. Learn more about me here.
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Liza says
this looks so good! i am going to have to try it. XO
Liza