This classic Korean corn cheese recipe makes a scrummy dish of corn kernels cooked in mayonnaise and shredded cheese just like our favourite Korean eatery makes. A beloved side dish or banchan served in Korean barbecue restaurants, you’ll spot this cheesy corn on menus of Korean drinking food or anju in bars. It also serves as comfort food in the home.
This classic cheesy Korean corn recipe will make you a much-loved Korean dish of corn kernels fried in mayonnaise and grated cheese just like Korean restaurants make. A popular side dish or banchan of the kind you’ll find in Korean barbecue restaurants, you’ll also see this filling snack on menus of Korean anju or drinking food in Korean bars and pubs.
Korean cheesy corn is also a comforting dish that’s cooked and eaten in the home. I’ve been making this corn cheese dish and serving it alongside our melt-in-the-mouth Korean meatballs, Korean potato salad, refreshing Korean cucumber salad, and zingy Korean coleslaw in recent weeks for my mum. All that’s been missing has been Terence’s spicy Korean fried chicken.
If you’re a lover of Korean food and have enjoyed our recipes for Korean spicy udon noodles, Korean japchae (glass noodles), and bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice), you will love this corn cheese dish.
Korean Corn Cheese Recipe for the Popular Korean Drinking Food Dish
The essential ingredients of almost every Korean cheese corn recipe are corn kernels, butter, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and cheese. What varies with these cheesy Korean corn recipes are the proportions of ingredients, the types of cheese, and any additions such as spices.
Some recipes make an incredibly cheesy corn dish. You probably know the kind and might have seen the over-the-top photos of forks raised with gooey mozzarella cheese that stretches between the utensil and dish on social media. But you’ll never see those in actual Korean restaurants.
The corn cheese that our favourite Korean eatery serves is nothing like that. It looks exactly like it does in our images. Could it be that this is another case of social media channels such as Instagram and Tik Tok influencing the evolution of dishes? Everybody loves gooey cheese right? Um, no. We loathe the stuff.
But we do love spice and if I wasn’t making this cheesy Korean corn side for my mum, instead of sprinkling ground paprika in and on the dish, I’d been adding the spicy Korean chilli paste called gochujang to the corn mixture and sprinkling the Korean chilli flakes gochugaru on top of the dish.
While that amount of cheese appeals to many, it makes my stomach churn and cholesterol levels rise. I much prefer the cheesy corn that my favourite Korean street food eatery makes that’s a little creamy courtesy of the butter and mayo, and a tad cheesy thanks to a decent amount of cheese.
Now let me share a few tips to making the recipe for a Korean cheesy corn just like my favourite Korean eatery makes.
Tips to Making this Korean Corn Cheese Recipe
I only have a couple of tips to making this Korean corn cheese recipe for the popular Korean street food cum drinking fare cum home cooked dish of corn kernels cooked in mayonnaise and shredded cheese, as this is a ridiculously quick and easy dish to make.
The first thing you need to do is combine almost all the ingredients in a bowl then melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat, to which you’ll add that corn mixture. Stir it frequently with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until the corn mixture is nice and hot.
Next you’ll add the grated cheese, stir the cheese through thoroughly until well incorporated, and only cook the mixture until the cheese melts. No longer! Try the corn mixture and adjust the seasoning if needed – or add more cheese if (unlike me!) you prefer an even cheesier corn cheese.
Lastly, scoop the cheesy corn into a serving dish, sprinkle on some ground paprika – or fiery Korean chilli flakes or chilli powder if you like – and shower the dish with finely sliced chives or scallions. Serve immediately or slide it under an oven grill or broiler until you’re ready to serve.
Korean Corn Cheese Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 420 g can corn kernels - drained
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup shredded vintage cheddar
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp chives or scallions - finely sliced
Instructions
- To a medium sized bowl, add the corn kernels, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and stir with a spice to combine well.
- In a frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter then add the corn mixture and cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until nice and hot.
- Add the grated cheese, stir through thoroughly until well incorporated and cook only until the cheese melts. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Transfer the cheese corn to a serving dish, sprinkle with a little more ground paprika – or Korean chilli flakes or chilli powder – and finely sliced chives or scallions, and served immediately.
Nutrition
Please do let us know if you make this classic Korean corn cheese recipe as we’d love to know how it turns out for you.
