Sweetcorn (corn on the cob, kernels)

sweet corn / elote / choclo

Flavor and role

Edible corn with strong sweetness. Boil or grill on the cob, or strip the kernels for soups and salads. Canned and frozen kernels can be used straight away.

Typical dishes and uses

Served with ceviche (Peruvian choclo), white chicken chili, elote, corn soup, campfire grilled corn

Substitutes

1 fresh cob ≈ 150g kernels ≈ 150g canned corn (drained).

Storage

Keep fresh corn in its husk in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days to keep it sweet. Blanched kernels keep 6 months frozen.

Main countries

United States · Mexico · Peru

Used in this book

CevicheWhite Chicken ChiliAjiaco (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup)Anticuchos de CorazónCachapasCaldo de ResCajun Butter Cabbage BoilChilean CazuelaElote (Mexican Street Corn)Kumpir (Turkish Loaded Baked Potato)LocroNigerian Fried RicePastel de ChocloPorotos GranadosSancocho (Colombian Chicken and Root Vegetable Soup)Ajiaco Santafereño with Slow Chicken Stock and Poached BreastAjiaco Chicken Paitan RamenAjiaco Loaded Smashed PotatoesAnticucho Loaded Potato WedgesBulgogi Cream Cheese DoriaCrispy Rice Burrito BowlFresh-Cob Cachapa with Cochino FritoCachapa Okonomiyaki (Venezuelan × Japanese)Cachapa Pancake Stack with Honey Butter and Cheese CrustCaldo de Res with Roasted Marrow Bones and Guajillo SalsaYukgaejang-Style Spicy Caldo de Res (Korean × Mexican)Seared Cabbage Boil with Andouille, Shrimp and Homemade Cajun SpiceChipotle-Lime Chorizo Cabbage Boil with Cotija (Mexican × Cajun)Cabbage Boil Skewers with Comeback SauceOsso Buco Cazuela de VacunoThai Red Curry Cazuela with Coconut, Pumpkin and CornCazuela Chicken Pot Pie with Puff-Pastry LidClassic Ceviche with Leche de TigreCrispy Chakalaka Fritters with Lemon Yogurt DipCoconut Lemongrass Clam ChowderMiso-Butter Salmon Congee with Corn and Nori (Japanese × Cantonese)Brown Butter Honey Cornbread with Charred CornCoxinha de pote (coxinha in a cup)Japanese Crab and Corn Cream CroquetasDan Bing Toast with Tuna-Corn MayoEgg Drop Gravy Rice Bowl with Garlic Chilli CrunchHusk-Grilled Elote with Chipotle Butter and Roasted Garlic CremaMiso Butter Elote with Aonori and KatsuobushiElote Cheese QuesadillaChicken Enchilada Rice BowlMexican-style fattoush with tortilla crisps and avocadoMexican Black Bean and Corn Gemista (Greek × Mexican)Crispy Githeri Fritters with Kachumbari Yogurt DipGroundnut Chicken Rice Bowl with Charred Corn and Pickled Red OnionGuac Smash Toast with Jammy Egg and Charred CornChicken Harira Tortilla SoupBaked Dumpling Cups with Chili-Crisp MayoElote Kartoffelsalat with Charred Corn, Lime and Chilli (German × Mexican)Chorizo-Jalapeño Khachapuri (Georgian x Mexican)Kimchi Jeon Pizza with Pepperoni and Hot HoneyKimchi Bulgogi Kumpir (Turkish × Korean)Mini Kumpir Party BitesMiso Kabocha Locro (Argentine × Japanese)Locro Pot Pies with a Puff-Pastry LidCheesy Baked Moi Moi MuffinsOwambe Party Fried Rice with Homemade Stock, Liver and PrawnsNigerian Fried Rice Arancini with Scotch Bonnet MayoCrab-Stick Olivier with Gochujang Mayo and Corn (Russian × Korean)Pastel de Choclo with Knife-Cut Beef Pino and White-Wine ChickenKeema Pastel de Choclo (Indian-Spiced Beef under a Sweet Corn Crust)Pastel de Choclo Muffins with a Pino CentrePollo a la Brasa Quinoa Bowl with Ají Verde DressingPorotos Granados with Pilco and Merkén OilPorotos Granados Doenjang Stew (Chilean × Korean)Smashed Porotos Granados ToastBBQ Pulled Pork Sweet Potato BoatsPizza SamosasSancocho Trifásico (Beef, Pork and Chicken) with HogaoPho-Spiced Chicken Sancocho with Rice Noodles (Colombian × Vietnamese)Sancocho Croquettes with Coriander Ají DipSayur Lodeh Coconut Gratin with Tempeh CrumbChipotle-Lime Shrimp and Corn Grits (Mexican × Southern)Soto Ayam RamenMexican Street-Corn TabboulehBaked Tamal Cups with Red Chile ChickenChicken Tinga Loaded Sweet PotatoesMiso Cream Chicken and Shiitake Vol-au-vent (Belgian × Japanese)Charred Poblano White Chicken Chili with Seared ThighsThai Coconut Lemongrass White Chicken ChiliWhite Chicken Chili Baked Taquitos with Lime CremaZucchini Slice Muffins with Whipped Feta

Updated 2026-10-10