There are so many things to be sad about at the end of summer, but the late-season harvest is decidedly not one of them. It’s a little easier to swallow the end of beach days and pool parties when you’re simultaneously bringing home tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and sweet corn by the bushel from the farmers’ market.
Soon enough, it will be apple, squash, and pumpkin season (OK, who are we kidding — pumpkin season starts in August now), but in the meantime, take advantage of the produce gold that’s already here. Sweet corn can add a pop of color, texture, and flavor to just about any dish, and you’d be remiss to let the season come to an end without making at least a handful of dishes that make it their star.
From the ubiquitous end-of-summer salads to heartier dishes that help usher in fall, these recipes will have you bringing home armloads of corn before it disappears from stores.
A version of this story was originally published September 2018.
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Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Image Credit: The Recipe Mingle. Sweet corn, butter, gooey honey, and indulgent cream cheese — can you think of any better flavor combo on a chilly fal day? We certainly can’t.
Get the full recipe from The Recipe Mingle.
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Avocado-Corn Salad With Almond-Lime Dressing
Image Credit: Running on Real Food. Both nutty and tangy, the almond-lime dressing in this salad is good enough to drink on its own. But it’s even better when drizzled over a salad of avocado, corn and greens.
Get the recipe from Running on Real Food
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Zesty Shrimp & Corn Chowder
Image Credit: Real Food by Dad. Tomato, lime, plantain and annatto make this chowder unlike any you’ve had before. A garnish of sweet corn salsa makes every spoonful burst with flavor.
Get the recipe from Real Food by Dad
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Hot Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip
Image Credit: My Recipe Nook. Yes, you can eat this cheesy dip with chips. But you can also just go at it with a big spoon, and we won’t judge you at all.
Get the recipe from My Recipe Nook
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Sweet Corn & Avocado Toast
Image Credit: Catching Seeds. Millennial breakfasts are about to get a whole lot tastier. The pop of fresh sweet corn kernels atop creamy avocado is definitely worth getting up early for.
Get the recipe from Catching Seeds
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Bourbon Creamed Corn
Image Credit: Eat Like Amanda. Paired with something meaty, like grilled steak or smoky barbecue ribs, this bourbon creamed corn is a total revelation.
Get the recipe from Eat Like Amanda
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Vegan Corn Chowder
Image Credit: A Saucy Kitchen. Sweet, creamy corn chowder can be made vegan. The key is adding coconut milk and puréeing your ingredients a bit to give the broth a luxurious, thick texture.
Get the recipe from A Saucy Kitchen
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Corn Salsa
Image Credit: Peas and Crayons. When corn is this good, you don’t need a lot of extra ingredients to make it shine — just some crunchy tortilla chips for scoopin’.
Get the recipe from Peas and Crayons
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Corn, Cranberry & Wild Rice Salad
Image Credit: A Little and a Lot. Transition into fall with a hearty salad made from fresh corn, cranberries and wild rice topped with fried chicken to help fortify you against those chilly late-summer nights.
Get the recipe from A Little and a Lot
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Creamy Basil Chicken With Bacon & Corn
Image Credit: The Whimsical Wife. A dish of creamy basil chicken is even better when you swap the canned corn for fresh off-the-cob kernels instead.
Get the recipe from The Whimsical Wife
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Grilled Corn Guacamole
Image Credit: Gimme Some Grilling. There are those who’ll say that adding grilled corn to guac is a sin of the highest order… and while they’re complaining, we can happily eat up all of this dip.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Grilling
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Seared Scallops With Creamed Corn & Tomatoes
Image Credit: Brina's Bites. The sweetness of creamed corn mimics the sweetness of fresh seared scallops, the whole thing tempered by the slight acidity of an herb-tinged tomato salad.
Get the recipe from Brina’s Bites
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Summer Corn & Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
Image Credit: Appetites Anonymous. Each bite of savory pasta salad is only enhanced by sweet yellow summer corn hidden between the noodles. Tangy goat cheese adds yet another element of flavor.
Get the recipe from Appetites Anonymous.
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