There are inevitably things leftover after you throw a barbecue. Paper plates, for one. Watermelon. Occasionally a few shoe-less young adults scattered around the lawn, depending on how many boozy Popsicles you've had. But the one thing that always seems to be around is leftover corn.
After throwing a family barbecue recently, I have more ears of corn in the fridge than I know what do with. As a result, I've compiled a list of recipes that use corn as an ingredient so that my fridge full of corn doesn't go to waste. Fellow corn-lovers, this one is for you.
1. Zucchini-Corn Fritters
These babies are ridiculously easy to throw together. All you need is zucchini, flour, your leftover corn, and a few spices to whip these up in less than 30 minutes.
2. Simple Corn Sweet Potatoes
If you've only got one ear of leftover corn, then this is the recipe for you. It's like Thanksgiving in the summertime.
3. One-Minute Cheesy Corn
All you need is a microwave, a few ingredients, and enough patience to last you the 60 seconds that this dish takes to cook. It's like mac and cheese, but with hidden veggies.
4. Zucchini-Corn Salad
This zucchini salad is the perfect light summer dish. You could even try spiralizing or grating the zucchini for a pasta-like feel.
5. Sweet Corn Salsa
This salsa takes less than five minutes to make. It's ideal for those afternoons when you're craving salsa and chips but can't be bothered to run to the store to pick up a jar of Dorito's Salsa Verde.
6. Easy Corn Pudding
This Southern comfort food only takes five ingredients to make if you swap the creamed corn for your leftover corn on the cob. Plus, that makes it healthy, right? Right?
7. Corn and Kale Salad
Kale is love. Kale is life. Mixed with corn, kale could conquer the world and I wouldn't complain once about it.
8. Cheddar Corn Grits
I'll be honest: I'm one of those Northerners who has no idea what the heck grits are. But this drool-worthy recipe that uses corn is making me want to cross the border and figure it out.
9. 5-Ingredient Vegetarian Chili
This chili is more impressive than that time Columbus brought corn back to Europe. I mean, good for you, Columbus. But can you make chili that only has 5 ingredients? I think not.
10. Brussels Sprouts, Cheese, and Corn Pizza
I used to hate Brussels sprouts until I tried them cooked in balsamic vinegar and honey. I'm pretty sure that this pizza would have done the trick too.
11. Vegetable Fried Rice
As a Chinese takeaway enthusiast, I am a big fan of vegetable fried rice. Adding your leftover corn makes it a dreamy combination of sweet and savory.
12. Mexican Corn Salad
Whenever I'm feeling maxed out on carbs, I love a good salad to hit the reset button. This bean salad is ideal for anyone who wants an alternative to the traditional leafy salad. No greens to be seen here, just leftover corn and beans.
13. Rainbow Succotash
Don't be put off by the fancy-sounding name; a succotash is just a bunch of veg fried up with some spices and potatoes. It's easy to do, and you can throw as much leftover corn in as you'd like.
14. Taco Salad with Homemade Salsa
Corn and avocado are hands-down my favorite vegetables of all time (other than kale, of course). Just looking at this salad is too much for me.
15. Corn, Bacon and Jalapeño Salad
I'm not really a bacon kind of gal (#vegetarianproblems), but even I have to admit that this looks pretty good. The sweetness of the leftover corn and the saltiness of the bacon is a total classic food pairing.
16. Nacho Pull-Apart Bread
If you're not drooling just looking at this, then you need to get your eyes checked. Nachos meet pull-apart pizza bread in this Mexican inspired dish.
17. Corn Salad with Hummus, Feta, and Chicken
Is there anything better than a dollop of hummus on top of a big salad? With the hummus and chicken, this dish offers a double protein punch. If you're vegetarian, try swapping the chicken for some tofu tuna.
18. Huevos Rancheros
This Mexican dish is the type of pretty that makes me jealous. Just look at those colors. It's like a rainbow painted across a wrap. How aesthetic is that?
19. Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos
These wraps are practically begging to be filled with your BBQ leftovers. Black beans + leftover corn + avocado = a flavor explosion.
20. Cauliflower Fried Rice
This recipe is like the healthier sister of vegetable fried rice that permanently carries a yoga mat and drinks green smoothies for breakfast every day.
21. Seasonal Vegetable Ravioli
I betcha can't tell that this recipe uses a premade frozen meal. That's right. Your meal can look restaurant quality with minimal effort involved.
22. Chicken Fajita Salad
If you're in the market for a protein packed post-workout meal with only a splash of corn, then this is your dish. The recipe calls for canned corn, but your leftover corn will do the trick.
23. Black Bean and Corn Chili
If you asked me before I saw this photo if I would ever be envious of how good-looking black beans and corn are, I would have laughed at you. Now, I'm not so sure.
24. Healthy Breakfast Burritos
The recipe says it's a breakfast burrito; I say it's an anytime burrito. This is especially true if it's premade so that the next time you get the drunchies, you have a snack waiting for you in the fridge.
25. Corn and Asparagus Ramen
I'm not saying that this ramen will definitely change your life, but I'm not saying that it won't, either. With leeks, asparagus, and leftover corn, this dish is a flavor party waiting to happen.
26. Spicy Corn and Egg Quesadilla
This spicy breakfast wrap is not for the faint of heart. If you're a lover of both corn and jalapenos, then this recipe is basically your dream.
27. Veg-Filled Paleo Pancakes
While these sweet potato pancakes don't technically have corn in the recipe, it would be a pretty bomb addition. Try throwing in a few tablespoons of corn along with the eggs and coconut flour in the third step. It's like Christmas dinner in pancake form. Yes, please.
These recipes will help you out no matter how much leftover corn you're stuck with. Even if it's a month supply of corn (#praying4you), you can still try a new recipe almost every single day. And who knows? You might find that once you start putting corn in everything, you can't stop. Corn and seaweed mayonnaise pizza anyone?