Once you try Instant Pot Corn on the Cob, you will never boil it on the stove again! Perfectly juicy corn, subtly sweet, and incredibly delicious in as little as 10 minutes total cook time. Enjoy it whole or use the kernels in everything from salads, tacos, soups, and more!
I do love an entire cob of corn, whether it’s on its own or slathered in melting butter and a sprinkling of salt, sometimes even a squeeze of lime. It pairs so well as a side to black bean burgers and salmon burgers but I also love that I can take the kernels right off and avoid canned corn when adding it to things like ground chicken tacos.
Table of contents
Instant Pot Corn
Corn on the cob is a summertime staple! Whether it’s grilled, boiled, or roasted, who doesn’t love the sweet, tender, and juicy bite of corn? Well, let me tell you, Instant Pot corn on the cob blows all other methods out of the water! This totally hands-off, simple method of cooking corn will change your life. No more waiting for a big pot of water to boil!
Instant Pot corn is one of those simple recipes that is so easy you have to wonder, can it even be called a recipe? You can cook up to 5 ears of corn in pressure cooker in just 2 minutes. Seriously, it’s wild! Then sink your teeth into it or use leftovers to make Mexican street corn salad with creamy feta cheese and cilantro, avocado corn salad – summer in a bowl, or chicken and corn – 20 minute skillet dinner.
If you’re hosting a BBQ you can actually take your Instant Pot outside and cook it out there. Leave it on warm, and keep a pair of tongs handy and everyone can serve themselves. This is the perfect method for serving a crowd because it takes no time or effort!
I grew up in Ukraine and “our” corn took 2 hours to cook and cool. Not sure why, but I remember grandma’s kitchen getting so hot and us kids having to wait so long to sink our teeth into juicy corn.
I’m happy to say that 2 minutes is a much easier wait time than 2 hours for fresh corn ready to be used in salads, soups, casseroles, you name it! I swear pressure cooker corn on the cob is one of my most favorite Instant Pot recipes ever. My other favourites are staples like quinoa, brown rice, chickpeas, black beans because they’re all so hands-off!
Tips for Buying Corn
There’s nothing difficult about picking the perfect corn. You’ll probably be able to tell very quickly whether or not it’s fresh enough for you, based on appearance and smell! Below are a few extra tips to look for to help guide you in the right direction.
- Husk: Look for corn that is wrapped tightly in its green husks. It’s ok if it feels a bit moist, that’s not a bad thing.
- Silk: Silk should be soft, perky, and moist. Not sticky, brown, and going bad.
- Kernels: Peel the husk a bit and choose corn with white or yellow kernels in tight rows that are plump.
How to Cook Corn in Instant Pot
New to Instant Pot? Check out my Instant Pot guide. Don’t have one yet? Stop wondering which Instant Pot to buy. Either way, it’s one of the best investments you’ll make!
- Add water and trivet: To any size Instant Pot, add 1 cup of water and place trivet inside.
- Add as many corn on the cob in the Instant Pot as you can fit: About 5 full ears of corn will fit into 8 quart pot easily (pictured). You can snap ears of corn in halves to fit smaller 6 and 3 quart, models.
- Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes: Instant Pot will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure. If it’s summer, set it outside to keep the kitchen cool.
- Do Quick Release: Turn the vent to Venting right after 2 minutes is up. That’s it!
Tips for Best Instant Pot Corn
- Remove husk from corn before cooking if you’d prefer, but it still works when you keep it on.
- Snap corn in halves to fit more into the pot, especially for 3 quart and if making lots of corn for a crowd.
- Set Instant Pot outside to cook and vent to keep the kitchen cool. 99% chances you will be cooking corn in summer!
- Keep corn warm all day in Instant Pot with Keep Warm feature as nobody likes cold corn. This is my favourite function for this recipe.
What to Serve Corn on the Cob with?
- Butter and salt: As you rub a slice of butter on a hot ear of corn, just watch it melt. If it is salted butter you don’t even have to sprinkle corn with salt. This is my fave!
- Lime and spice: To take Instant Pot corn to the next level squeeze with lime juice and sprinkle with cayenne or chili powder.
- Feta and garlic: If you rub a hot ear of corn with freshly grated garlic and then sprinkle with feta cheese, it will melt and turn into delicious garlic cheese sauce. A version of Mexican street corn salad.
- All your favorite BBQ items: Instant Pot potato salad, baked beans, pulled pork or any grilled protein!
FAQs
Today corn gets a bad rap because the majority of corn sold in North America is GMO corn.
There are 142 GMO corn species in the US that are herbicide, insect, and disease resistant. 90% of it goes into animal feed and the rest into the production of high fructose corn syrup, alcohol, cornstarch, and vinegar.
That’s why I’m so vigilant in buying these products non-GMO project verified or organic “field corn”. The good news is that most “sweet corn” on the cob sold in stores is non-GMO.
Absolutely! As with any food, enjoying corn as part of a healthy diet is a great idea. It’s high in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, zinc, and iron. Despite its sweetness, it still ranks low on the glycemic index and is high in fibre, low in sodium. It’s great!
No! Sometimes we like to add salt to water because we think it’ll permeate flavor into whatever it is we’re boiling, but in this case, there is no need. Not only because the water never actually touches the corn, but it can also cause the corn to toughen up. That’s not what we want!
Yes. I have tried it numerous times and corn comes out perfect and no Burn message pops up.
Technically, the answer is yes, but there’s something amazing about freshly cooked corn served immediately. This is especially true if you’re serving a crowd! It’s also such a quick and easy recipe that making it ahead is almost unnecessary.
The “keep warm” feature on the Instant Pot is amazing because really, corn on the cob shouldn’t be kept at room temperature longer than 2 hours. It will start to grow bacteria rather quickly. Using this feature will keep it warm and above room temperature to keep it fresh longer.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Store: Leftover corn will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure to wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight bag or container.
Freeze: Remove kernels from the cob and freeze in an airtight container. These will last well up to a year! Stock up (or should I say stalk up? – sorry, couldn’t help it) in the summertime and have kernels on hand throughout the year. No more canned!
Reheat: The reheating method is totally up to you. If you’re just reheating one cob, toss it in the microwave. If you have a bunch, you can reheat them in the oven, steamed or boiled on the stovetop, or warm them back up in the Instant Pot.
Kernels can be tossed in from frozen, most of the time, depending on the recipe.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Need more Instant Pot inspiration? Then this collection of 45 healthy Instant Pot recipes is for you.
- Instant Pot steamed vegetables
- Instant Pot ribs
- Instant Pot pulled pork
- Instant Pot baked potatoes
- Instant Pot mac and cheese
- Instant Pot shrimp boil
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob {Crazy Easy!}
Instructions
- To any size Instant Pot, add water and place trivet inside.
- Add as many ears of corn as can fit. Snap in halves if too long.
- Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High for 2 minutes (YES, that’s correct). If making this recipe in summer, set your pressure cooker outside to keep kitchen cool.
- When Instant Pot says Off or switches to Keep Warm mode, do Quick Release by turning sealing valve to Venting position until the pin drops down.
- Open the lid and your corn on the cob is ready! Isn’t it amazing?!
- Serve with butter and salt. And my other favourite part – keep corn warm all day in Instant Pot with Keep Warm feature as nobody likes cold corn.:)
Store: Leftover corn will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure to wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight bag or container.
Freeze: Remove kernels from the cob and freeze in an airtight container. These will last well up to a year! Stock up (or should I say stalk up? – sorry, couldn't help it) in the summertime and have kernels on hand throughout the year. No more canned!
Reheat: The reheating method is totally up to you. If you're just reheating one cob, toss it in the microwave. If you have a bunch, you can reheat them in the oven, steamed or boiled on the stovetop, or warm them back up in the Instant Pot. Kernels can be tossed in from frozen, most of the time, depending on the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
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My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.