American
Brown Butter Skillet Corn
Frozen or fresh corn sears in browned butter until some kernels spot. Salt and chives are the whole seasoning.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Browning the butter adds a nutty flavor sugar does not.
- Corn needs a hot pan or it steams.
- A little char is the point.
- It takes about 12 minutes.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high until it smells nutty and the milk solids are golden, about 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the corn in one layer. Cook without stirring 2 minutes, until some kernels spot.
- 3
Stir and cook 3 minutes more.
- 4
Season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Take the pan off the heat and fold in the chives.
Pro tips
- Pat thawed corn dry so it browns.
- Do not walk away while the butter browns. It goes from nutty to burnt quickly.
- A pinch of chili is good if you want heat.
Easy substitutions
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Chives
- Scallions
- Corn
- A mix of corn and diced zucchini
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Rewarm in a skillet over medium heat.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 180
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
You might also like
Creamed Corn
Corn simmers in milk and cream with a little butter and a cornstarch slurry so the sauce turns glossy. It should coat a spoon, not run like soup.
25 min · Easy
View recipe
Au Gratin Potatoes
Thin potato slices bake in a cheddar and milk sauce until the center is tender and the top is browned. A short stovetop sauce, then a 375°F oven, keeps the potatoes from sitting in raw milk.
1 hr 20 min · Medium
View recipe
Baked Beans
Canned navy beans bake in a sauce of bacon, onion, molasses, ketchup, and mustard. The oven thickens the sauce and browns the top without a long soak.
1 hr 5 min · Easy
View recipe
Classic Mashed Potatoes
Russet potatoes are boiled until tender, dried in the hot pot, and mashed with warm milk and butter. Garlic and parsley keep the mash familiar without turning it into a flavored side.
40 min · Easy
View recipeStill hungry?
More in the same lane, not a random mix.
Corn Pudding
Corn, eggs, milk, and cornmeal bake into a soft custard with a set center and a golden top. It is a side, not a dessert, even with a spoon of sugar in the batter.
1 hr · Easy
View recipe
Cornbread Muffins
A slightly savory cornbread batter bakes in a muffin tin so the edges brown and the centers stay tender. Honey is in the batter, not poured on after.
26 min · Easy
View recipe
Skillet Garlic Bread
Split bread is toasted in a covered skillet with garlic butter so the crust crisps and the crumb stays soft. It does not need the oven.
18 min · Easy
View recipe
Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
Yukon potatoes mash with warm milk and sour cream so the texture stays fluffy, not gluey. Chives go in off the heat.
35 min · Easy
View recipeFind something else
From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
Read the affiliate disclosure.