Air fryer corn on the cob fresh or frozen is cooked to perfection in your Ninja Foodi or other brand in just minutes! Tender kernels, perfect side dish!
Now that I’ve made easy air fryer corn on the cob I don’t think I will ever boil water to make it again!! If you too want to skip that step and go straight to enjoying tender kernels we have some directions for you. A favorite air fryer recipe. (affiliate links present)
Ninja Foodi Corn
I kid you not, this is a real game changer. It’s so easy we make it this way at least once a week for dinner. Fresh or frozen works too, depending on what you have on hand. Of course fresh is best. 😉
You can make this as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe as you see here or use any other brand of pot you might have. They all work basically the same, some just have larger baskets than others.
Table of contents
If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:
- My Favorite models are this Cosori or for a dual machine, the Foodi.
- You can find more Ninja Foodi recipes here as well; bookmark them both!
- It is best practice to put food into a hot basket. this is how to preheat air fryer first.
- Here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
Air Fryer Corn on the Cob without Husk
When choosing your pieces at the store or farmers market you want large kernels that are juicy looking and not shriveled or dried up at all. If it is starting to get dry looking it is no good and you shouldn’t buy it, just wait until it’s more in season. I think it is faster and the texture is better with the husk removed for this method and our Crockpot corn on the cob too.
Summertime is the best because vegetables are so fresh and cheap. I feel like corn is one of those veggies though that you can find year round. Buying them with the husk still on will keep it fresher a bit longer I feel. I would definitely pull the top down though right there in the store. I have had many times where it looked fine but when I was ready to cook it and peeled the husks down I was really disappointed.
Once you’re ready to start you can then pull the outside leaves off when you’re ready. Throw as many as you want to serve into your basket, and in less than 10 minutes it’s done to perfection. Let’s get going…
How long to cook corn on the cob in Ninja Foodi
Timing and temp doesn’t change with the type or brand of machine you have. The same goes for all of them, biggest tip to get them done in this time is to not overlap them as they need area for the hot arir to rotate around the whole cob, or make our corn ribs recipe. Here are a few questions you might have before you get started:
You could but it will dry out a bit and get a bit crispy on the outside. For a fast quick idea you can though. I’d set to 390 for 3 minutes.
The nice thing about this is you can choose to either pressure cook it, or air fry it. Both ways are delicious and WAY easier than the “old fashioned” method you saw growing up.
Yes! I mean it makes sense that it would submerged in water. Corn is a good source of Vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium. High temperatures and longer cook times degrade vitamins that are sensitive to heat. If you had two side by side, once boiled and one air fried you’d notice the difference.
Of course any fresh fruit or vegetable has nutrients, this one is higher in carbs than others but still good for you. Sweet corn is also packed with fiber which is great if you have high cholesterol. It’s also low in fat and provides about 17% of Vitamin C for the day. Lower in protein it still is a healthy side dish I would say if you’re coming up with a summer menu.
The latter right out of your Cosori or Ninja Foodi will have a lot more of the natural flavor to it. As you can imagine, hot water just sucks out a lot of everything which is why you’ll feel the need to add a bunch of butter and salt. Air fried you don’t need as much, just enjoy the sweetness as is.
The directions for this are no different. Just remember the lid that is attached is for air frying, and the other is for pressure cooking. It doesn’t matter if you buy shucked or with the husk still in tact. You will need to remove it if they haven’t done it already for you before cooking.
Ninja Foodi Corn on the Cob Ingredients
- Fresh ears of corn
- you can use frozen corn but fresh is so much better
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper if desired
- Butter when it is done
- Tongs
- Chili powder and lime juice are optional to use at the end
Literally that is it. After I made it this way and then in an Instant Pot I was hooked because there is NO need for boiling anymore.
Is corn in air fryer better than cooked in a pressure cooker?
Both of these methods are fantastic honestly but they have different outcomes. When you make pressure cooker corn in an IP, Mealthy or Crock Pot Express it will not have a crisp at all. In this case that is okay really since that isn’t expected, but you may like that portion. Under high pressure is faster, only takes 3 minutes that way! You could put your cob in an air fryer after that though for a few minutes to crisp.
I haven’t decided whether I like the previous method or this one better. I would say they are neck and neck but SO much better than heating up a bit pot of water on the stovetop.
How to Cook Frozen Corn in Air Fryer
You could use either frozen or fresh for this. Cook time may have a difference of a minute or so but really isn’t a lot. A great option during the wintertime when you may not find fresh in season. Usually these are sold in half cobs. It will thaw in about a minute so timing shouldn’t really change. I go over all the ways of how to cook frozen corn on the cob here so you can compare and see which is best for your family.
Here’s a quick step by step but I also have a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for your convenience. If you want to make this into more of a complete meal, follow our air fryer shrimp boil recipe. That uses corn, seafood and potatoes together!
How to Cook Ninja Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Time needed: 8 minutes
Corn in Air Fryer
- Preheat
Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Remove husks
Then you’ll want to cut the corn with the husk on at the very tip like you see here. Remove all the husks and silks.
- Cook
Put into your air fryer basket making sure they don’t overlap. You could cut them in half if you want but we don’t. Air crisp for 8 – 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through.
- Add toppings
Rub butter on outside, sprinkle on salt and pepper and/or some parmesan cheese too.
What is Mexican street corn made of?
- 1/4 c. mayonnaise & sour cream
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 c. cotija cheese
When done mix the following 5 ingredients together and brush it on each one. Some like it thick and others just like a smear with a little sprinkle of coating for flavor.
Now first you’re going to want to remove the husk and silks. Yes you can cook with them on but it takes longer and with air fryer corn you’ll need to remove them. BUT don’t throw them in the trash can!!
What can I do with corn husks?
- We throw ours in our compost bin!!
- They’re great for decomposition and creating nutrient rich soil to use in our vegetable garden.
- You can also use dried corn husks to make tamales!
- They’re great to make corn husk angels twisted and turned with twine held together for the holidays.
- Use them to wrap food for grilling or steaming. Similar concept as using banana leaves for cooking.
- We keep them on when making smoked corn on the cob.
Allow them to dry out and use corn on the cob as fire starters!
Using your air fryer or pressure cooker will keep those vitamins in tact and takes a fraction of the time too! You figure it takes a good 15 minutes for a large pot of water to start to boil, then at least 15 minutes to soften the kernels.
Using either method here you’ll have perfect corn on the cob in about 10 minutes flat! This is how to cook fresh corn 4 other ways too. Roasted corn on the smoker is fun too with melted butter and salt on the top. Try them all y’all! 😉
After this, give our air fryer eggplant a whirl and let us know which one you like best! Cooking corn has never been easier than this!! You will likely never make it another way again. It’s quick and easy + the texture is perfect. You no longer have to heat up the house on hot summer nights.
Air Fryer Corn
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn on the cob, or more but 2 full size fit at a time
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil, optional
Instructions
- Cut 1.5" off of tip of each ear of corn. Remove husks and silks from ears of corn.
- Generously rub olive oil all over 2 ears of corn and put inside air fryer basket. (optional, can omit if you prefer but it will keep kernels moist)
- Close air fryer lid and set to 390 degrees for 8 minutes total.
- Flip ears of corn half way through cooking process.
- At end of time if you want kernels a bit softer just add 2 more minutes or so. Add another 2 ears in if you have additional batches.
- Melt butter and pour over ears of corn when they're all done. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Some grated parmesan is good too.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do I have to use oil on corn on the cob we never use oil for cooking anything
Do you have to use oil on the cob of corn 🌽 we don’t use oils for any cooking
It is not a must but helps o not dry it out
Can you do these in the husk as well?
No wouldn’t work well.
Scrupdelieious!!!!! Great and fast. Buttered it and ate it as soon as it was out of the airfryer!!
OH yeah!
Your written instructions before the recipe states to preheat the air fryer at 390 for 5 minutes, but the printable recipe doesn’t mention preheating the air fryer. Is that an omission in the printable recipe or does the 8 minutes work just fine without preheating?
I like to always preheat, I don’t always remember. If you don’t you might want to add a few more minutes.
Read the recipe today, went to grocery store, made it tonight…DELICIOUS!!! Thank You!!
Oh yay, we made them again tonight with our smoked chicken. Only way to go
Wish I would have scrolled all the way down to the real recipe. …. didnt get to use the olive oil bc it wasnt in the 1st set of instructions
Just tried this today….it was love at first bite. My kiddos loved it.
Delicious! Loved the ease! I cut each cob in half and was able to fit 5 halves in my Ninja Foodi! Im now taking the air fryer to my in laws to make this tomorrow! Thanks!
Yay!! Glad it was a hit!
This is perfect timing! I just got an air fryer and am going to try this ASAP!
This idea is brilliant! What a great timesaver!