This pecorino basil pesto corn is an incredible combination of spicy basil with a creamy mixture of mayonnaise and Pecorino, complementing the sweet oven-baked corn on the cob.
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Street Corn at Home
Turn regular corn into a fabulous side dish. There is nothing like fresh sweet corn, and what better way than the popular street food found on the streets of Mexico City? Mexican Elote.
This sweet summer corn dish is inspired by an American favorite using corn cobs in a creamy sauce and crumbly cheese with an Italian flair. This is a great side dish that goes well with my chicken cutlet recipe, which will be posted next week. Subscribe for the recipe!
In addition, the creamy mayo sauce is super easy to make. You'll be making this every week for your little cravings! Since you can eat this on its own or with wings, a veggie burger, or even carne asada tacos! It's up to you.
What's for Dinner?
- Spicy Chicken Burger with Harissa Eggplant Sauce
- Homemade Easy Spicy Basil Pesto
- Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder with Dumplings | Dairy-Free
- Italian Chicken Sausage Stuffed with Portobello Mushrooms.
- Spicy Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Easy Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Lasagna
- Creamy Argentinian Shrimp Pesto Pasta with Jalapeño
Ingredients with Steps
After you have soaked your skewers, set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the skewered corn on each square-foot piece of aluminum foil, rub them with olive oil and salt, and wrap them up. Bake for 30 minutes, and then let them rest.
Make the spicy basil pesto mayo while they are cooling down just a little. Combine the spicy basil pesto, red pepper chili flakes, and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
Super easy, right!? Brush it onto the corn on the cobs and dust with grated pecorino romano cheese and smoked paprika powder. For that extra flavor kick, serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze on. So good!
See the pecorino basil pesto corn recipe card for quantities.
Instructions with Pictures
Brush the skewered corn on the cob with olive oil and season with salt.
Place the corn in the middle of the 1-foot foil paper, pointing towards the upper right corner. Then, fold the upper right corner over it.
Fold over the left side of the foil over the corn and roll to wrap tightly. Then, seal the foil around the bottom of the skewer.
Place it on a sheet pan with a rack and place it in the preheated oven.
Combine the ingredients for the spicy basil pesto mayo.
Gently brush the mayo all over the corn.
Brush on the grated Italian cheese blend and smoked paprika.
Serve the oven-baked pecorino basil pesto corn on the cob with a fresh lemon.
Substitutions
- Spicy Basil Pesto - If you can't find this in stores, there is the option to make it yourself using my Spicy Basil Pesto Recipe. If not, just use regular basil pesto and add more red pepper chili flakes to your preferred heat level.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese - Use grated Parmesan or Italian cheese blend. This cheese blend tends to be a combination of grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese. However, you can interchangeably use just one of those. Or you can grate a block of the cheese yourself using a microplane, box grater, or food processor. Learn more ways to use a microplane, like zesting.
- Non-Dairy - Try using NOOCH IT! Cashew Grated Cheese and Chosen Foods Classic Vegan Avocado Oil-Based Mayonnaise.
Change Heat Level - Modify the pecorino basil pesto corn recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- Oven-Baked - Try air frying it without the skewers at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes in the air fryer. Or enjoy grilled corn on medium-high heat for about 20-25 minutes on the grill.
- Smoke Heat - Replace the regular mayonnaise with chipotle mayo and the smoked paprika with chili powder, and serve with lime wedges instead of lemon.
- Mexican Street Corn Salad Inspiration - Slice the corn kernels into a bowl after baking them. Combine one part of sour cream or Mexican cream with the mayo mixture in the recipe, with the cheese and smoked paprika, and squeeze in the lemon juice.
Equipment
- Bamboo Skewers - You can use short 7-inch skewers like the Gere Thick Skewers for Corn Cob. But I cut long bamboo in half using kitchen shears, like the OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Kitchen and Herb Scissors. Specifically, kitchen shears, since they have this feature with holes to cut stems and skewers.
- Aluminum Foil - These will be cut into 1-foot squares to wrap them for baking. This helps create steam faster and keeps the oil and seasoning on the corn.
- Sheet Pan - I prefer using the sheet pan with a rack, allowing hot air to cook the corn evenly. But you can just use the sheet pan or a large enough baking dish.
- Pastry Brush - Try using a silicone brush. They are easier to clean, like the OXO Good Grips Silicone Basting & Pastry Brush, with no bristle debris on food.
Kitchen Must-Haves Reviews
Find a collection of my reviews of kitchen equipment that I have purchased or recommend. Kitchen Must-Haves - Find other tools I use here.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchased: September 10, 2024
My Review: The USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Baking Pan and Nonstick Cooling Rack Set is such a smart buy—it’s incredibly convenient to have both the pan and rack come together as a set. You never know when you’ll need the rack for roasting, cooling, or glazing, and having it perfectly fitted to the pan saves so much time and hassle. The pan itself is super sturdy with excellent heat distribution, and the nonstick rack makes cleanup a breeze. I’ve used it for everything from baking cookies to roasting vegetables and even draining fried foods. It’s one of those kitchen upgrades that just makes life easier.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the pecorino basil pesto corn in a shallow 2-inch container to cool down quickly. Then, store it in an airtight container. As a result, the meal will last up to two days.
- Freezer - I do not recommend freezing the finished product. But you can freeze cooked corn. Cool down completely, wrap it in parchment, then place it in the freezer in a labeled, resealable freezer bag.
Cooking Tips
Your Cooking Tips Resource Guide - Become a better home cook with tips to help you cook more efficiently on the Cook's Notebook tab.
- Soak Bamboo Skewers - If you use these wooden skewers, ensure to soak them for at least 30 minutes before using them.
- Italian Cheese Blend Recommendation - Locatelli's Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese is a highly recommended house favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are hard Italian cheeses, but Parmesan, an older cheese, is made with cow's milk, while Pecorino Romano, a younger cheese, is made from sheep's milk. Both can be shaved, shredded, or grated.
Side Dish Ideas
Looking for other side dish recipe ideas like this? Try these:
- Quick & Easy Food Chopper Guacamole with Jalapeño Kick
- Quick Parsley Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Marinated Sumac Onions | Easy and Quick
- How to Make Multigrain Rice | Purple Rice Recipe
Vegetarian Recipes
Looking for other vegetarian recipes like this? Try these:
- Haitian Djon Djon Rice Recipe (Diri Djon Djon)
- Homemade Cholula Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
- Homemade Pico de Gallo | Fresh Salsa in 10 Minutes
- One-Pan Calabrian Chickpea Pasta Recipe | Fast & Flavorful
📖 Recipe
Easy Oven Baked Parmesan Pesto Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 2 corn on the cob fresh
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons basil pesto
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons grated Italian cheese
- chopped parsley for garnish
- smoked paprika powder for garnish
- lemon wedges for garnish
Equipment
- Bamboo Skewers
- Aluminum Foil
Instructions
- Do this First: If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using them to reduce fire hazards. Do this first, then start the prep for this recipe.
- Set the Oven: Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Prep the Corn: Carefully insert a skewer into each corn cob. Then, place each corn on a piece of foil paper (1x1ft), enough to wrap it later. Rub each corn with olive oil and season with salt. Then, close and wrap the corn with the foil evenly without bunching at the top. Watch my picture and video tutorials for extra help.
- Bake the Corn: Place them on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Then, when the corn is tender, remove it from the oven and rest for 8 minutes.
- Make the Corn Toppings While the Corn Bakes: Mix the pesto, red pepper flakes, and mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl.
- Add Toppings: After the corn has rested, open the foil, leaving the corn on the foil. Then, brush the pesto mayo onto the corn evenly and sprinkle each corn with the cheese blend.
- Garnish and Serve: Plate the corn and sprinkle with smoked paprika powder and chopped parsley. Then, serve with a lemon wedge. Finally, squeeze the lemon juice over the corn and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
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