The culinary trifecta of corn, bacon and cheese is on repeat all summer long at my house. And it doesn’t get more versatile than this Garlicky Skillet Corn that can be served hot, chilled or at room temp and made with any variety of fresh or frozen corn.
There’s just something about the combination of sweet corn and salty bacon that’s a winning combo no matter how you dish it up.
My husband and I still fall in the “corn off the cob” camp. While I’m all for gnawing off the tender kernels, we firmly believe corn tastes best when sliced off and scooped up with a spoon. The flavor seems to be magically enhanced. Sauté the kernels in a little bacon fat and we can take down this entire skillet in less time than it takes to make it (a mere 15 minutes!).
I’ve been a longtime fan of creamed corn, and while similar in flavor, this skillet variety eliminates the cream in place of sautéed peppers and crispy bacon, adding textural crunch to every bite. The cheese is an optional addition, but if your’e craving a gooey bite, stir in 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar, parmesan or gruyere cheese.
And as long as we’re keeping things casual, there’s really no need even for a skillet. Simply fire up the flames under your trusty nonstick sauté pan, then add the bacon and get cooking.
Ready to get cooking? I’ve teamed up with Williams Sonoma and Scanpan to bring you the video below. Tune in to see me whip up this Garlicky Skillet Corn with Bacon, and if you’re looking for more corn-filled recipes, don’t miss Quick and Easy Corn Fritters and Cheesy Roasted Garlic Corn on the Cob!
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Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions
- 1 cup diced green bell peppers
- 3 1/2 cups corn kernels (See Kelly’s Notes)
Instructions
- Dice the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces then add it to a large skillet placed over medium-low heat. Cook the bacon, stirring, until all the fat has rendered off. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
- Reduce the heat to low then add the minced garlic and sliced scallions and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and corn and cook, stirring, until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. (If the pan gets too dry at any point, add additional bacon drippings or olive oil.) Return the cooked bacon to the pan and stir to combine.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kelly’s Notes:
- Fresh corn is best, but if not in season, use frozen, thaw and drain it well.
- For a touch of heat, dice a small jalapeño and add it to the skillet with the garlic or top off the corn with a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes.
- For a cheesy twist, stir in ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese once the corn is tender or sprinkle the cooked corn with crumbled cotija cheese.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
What kind of cheese is that on top, feta? I couldn’t understand from the video, it sounded like fontina?
Crumbled cotija cheese. :)
Was looking for corn fritters rec. came across your other yummy rec. please send recipes to my email thanks Kristin down under!
Just added you to our subscription list to receive new recipes in your inbox. Thanks for your readership, Kristin!
Can we use fresh corn not cooked, and if so, how long to cook in pan?
Absolutely, Amy! Just follow the recipe exactly as written above :)
I made this for a wedding I catered and it was a huge hit. Since I was “Smokin” Beef, Pork & Chicken. In that mix of meats I had Smoked Pork Belly ready so I threw the 12 ears of corn in for about 1.5hrs and made this recipe. It was the talk of the food line. Thanks, Great recipe
I made this for a wedding I catered and it was a huge hit. Since I was “Smokin” Beef, Pork & Chicken I threw the 12 ears of corn in for about an hour and made this recipe. It was the talk of the food line. Thanks, Great recipe
Awesome! I’m so thrilled to hear this, Bill!
I love the recipe and will make it again, but it took me far more than five minutes’ preparation to cut up the bacon into small pieces, mince the garlic, slice the scallions, dice the green peppers, get the kernels of corn off eight small ears (and prepare and chop up a jalapeno). More like an hour!
Do I boil the corn first ?
No need to, Cathy!
Love this. Simple and easy to prepare.
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Grace!
Served this at a family picnic and it was the first thing to go! Everyone loved it. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jane!
Loved it. Just wanted a back down of the calories for it.
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly! If you’re interested, you can find all of our recipes with nutritional information here: https://www.justataste.com/category/recipes/nutrition-facts/
Oh the bacon!!! Love that it can be easily made in a skillet. Perfect for camping.
Yes, so true! A one-skillet winner :)