Quick to make and super tasty, the best corn ribs recipe is the perfect crowd pleaser. It's the funnest way to eat corn! (Yes, I said funnest, yes I know it isn't a real word, but I like it ok)? 😉 Dip the seasoned corn ribs in my 5 ingredients chipotle crema (so easy to make) for a real treat. You can prep these ahead of time and serve them hot or cold. These are great as a snack, side dish, or appetizer.
I have found my new favorite party appetizer!!! These corn ribs are so cute nobody can resist trying one. And when they do, woah! Flavor explosion. The corn is cut into these small rib shapes and then seasoned generously with Mexican-inspired spices. They are then cooked in an air fryer or oven which makes them curl a little (hello cuteness). Serve them with my chipotle crema dip (or another dip if you prefer) and fall in love.
My favorite part of these corn ribs is that they are equally delicious served hot or cold. This makes them an ideal finger food for parties as they are tasty no matter what! Trust me when I say, grab yourself some corn on the cob and make a batch of these. You will not be disappointed!
Common Questions:
What is the easiest way to cut corn ribs? I found the easiest way to cut corn ribs is to first cut the cobs in half to make two shorter cobs. Then turn the corn on its end and cut down the center using a large heavy knife. Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way. I like to tap the back of the knife to cut through the corn cob. Then cut the halves in half again. Each corn cob will make 8 corn ribs that are about 4 inches long. See the step-by-step pictures below.
Some other recipe writers made corn ribs that are the entire length of the corn, but not only does this make it really challenging to cut the corn, I also found the corn pieces were too big and clumsy, not ideal for an appetizer. I much prefer the shorter ribs for both of those reasons.
Can you eat the whole corn rib? No, the cob is too tough to eat. To eat the corn ribs bite the corn kernels off of the cob just like you would when eating corn on the cob. You can chew at the leftover cob if you like to get out all the flavor. Yum!
How to Make Corn Ribs:
Prepping the corn:
Lay a cob down on a cutting board and use a large sharp knife to cut off the very top of the cob and the bottom stem so that the ends of the corn cob are flat. Now cut the corn cob in half to make two short cobs.
Take one of the halves and turn it upright. Carefully cut down the center using a large heavy knife. Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way. I like to tap the back of the knife to cut through the corn cob.
Then cut the halves in half again so you make 4 ribs. Repeat with the remaining corn half.
Then repeat with the second corn cob making a total of 16 ribs.
Season the corn:
Add the corn ribs to a medium bowl and add the oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir to evenly coat the corn ribs. You can cook them right away or store them covered in the fridge for up to 1 day.
To make the Chipotle Crema:
To make this truly the best corn ribs recipe, you must try my very easy-to-make chipotle crema! The creamy spicy sauce paired with the sweet corn is everything! To a small bowl, add the yogurt, chipotle pepper, lime juice, agave, and salt. Mix well.
Cook the corn ribs:
Air fryer corn ribs method (my fave): Preheat your air fryer to 380F(193C). Add the seasoned corn ribs to the air fryer basket and air fry for 8 - 10 minutes until the corn is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve the corn ribs hot or cold with the chipotle crema on the side.
Oven method: Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Spread the corn ribs evenly across a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the corn is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve the corn ribs hot or cold with the chipotle crema on the side.
The best corn ribs recipe is...
- The perfect party appetizer
- Gluten-free and vegan
- Can be served hot or cold
- A crowd pleaser!
More vegan appetizer recipes:
The Best Ever Cowboy Caviar
Vegan Satay Skewers
Vegan Deviled Potatoes
Grilled Tofu Skewers
*I first saw these corn ribs on Tiktok and knew I had to try them immediately. I'm not sure who the original creator of the "corn rib" video is so if you know, let me know in the comments so I can credit them.
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
The Best Corn Ribs Recipe!
Ingredients
For the Corn Ribs:
- 2 cobs corn peeled and cut into "ribs" (see step 1)
- 1 tablespoon oil (such as olive or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 handful cilantro roughly chopped (optional for garnish)
For the Chipotle Crema (optional):
- ½ cup plain vegan yogurt (such as almond or soy yogurt) (or sub vegan mayonnaise)
- ½ - 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely chopped
- ½ lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon agave
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
How to Cut Corn Ribs:
- Lay a cob down on a cutting board and use a large sharp knife to cut off the very top of the cob and the bottom stem so that the ends of the corn cob are flat. Now cut the corn cob in half to make two short cobs.
- Take one of the halves and turn it upright. Carefully cut down the center using a large heavy knife. Be sure to keep your fingers out of the way. I like to tap the back of the knife to cut through the corn cob. Then cut the halves in half again so you make 4 ribs. Repeat with the remaining corn half. Repeat with the remaining corn half. Then repeat with the second corn cob making a total of 16 ribs. (See pictures in the post for reference)
To cook the Corn Ribs:
- Season the corn: Add the corn ribs to a medium bowl and add the oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir to evenly coat the corn ribs. You can cook them right away or store them covered in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- To make the Chipotle Crema: To a small bowl, add the yogurt, chipotle pepper, lime juice, agave, and salt. Mix well.
- Air fryer method (my fave): Preheat your air fryer to 380F(193C). Add the seasoned corn ribs and air fry for 8 - 10 minutes until the corn is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve the corn ribs hot or cold with the chipotle crema on the side.
- Oven method: Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Spread the corn ribs evenly across a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the corn is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve the corn ribs hot or cold with the chipotle crema on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Ann M says
Ugh! I’m not sure how my review ended up as a reply, so let’s try this again.
Agreed, Sam! This is definitely the funnest way to eat corn! The ears of corn I have are rather petite, so I may not cut them up the next time I make this. I will absolutely coat them in these spices, though. I had some chipotle ranch dressing already in the fridge, so I dipped the “ribs” in that! Yum! I am in love with these flavors, and I never would have thought of them.
One word of caution, though. Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting the corn. It’s a tough task only made tougher and more risky by using a dull blade. Be safe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed them!!
Rachel Moore says
they look good. how do you eat them? the whole thing or bite off the cob.
Ann M. says
Agreed, Sam! This is definitely the funnest way to eat corn! The ears of corn I have are rather petite, so I may not cut them up the next time I make this. I will absolutely coat them in these spices, though. I had some chipotle ranch dressing already in the fridge, so I dipped the “ribs” in that! Yum! I am in love with these flavors, and I never would have thought of them.
One word of caution, though. Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting the corn. It’s a tough task only made tougher and more risky by using a dull blade. Be safe!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes a sharp knife is a must!! Enjoy!
Sam Turnbull says
You bite the corn off the cob 🙂
Liz says
Ahhh I’m so excited right now for fall to start and the farm stands to start selling the local corn so that I can try this! Just sent the link to like 5 people I know. This looks so good! Can’t wait to try this
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing! So happy you love it Liz!!
Brenda says
"Funnest" being grammatically incorrect comes from the word "fun"'s roots as exclusively a noun. Given that it's now also an adjective, there is really no logical reason not to treat it as one, and anyone who says otherwise is being overly prescriptive about a language that does not and never has adhered to any sort of "linguistic purity" or whatever.
So in short, go forth and say "funnest" without shame or apology!
Also, these corn ribs look delicious!
Sam says
Loving this comment!
- a fellow linguist
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Thank you Brenda!