This Pakistan Street Style Air Fryer Corn has been a game changer for my family and me! I love grilled corn or as we Pakistanis call it, Bhutta! The slightly charred sweet corn, doused with salt, chili powder, and lime juice always brings back memories of Pakistan. This recipe makes it possible for me to recreate those memories in just 20 minutes rain or shine.
This Pakistani street-style corn can be enjoyed as a snack on its own or served as a side. Some of my favorite recipes to eat this with are Roasted Leg of Goat (Raan), Pakistani Chicken Steam Roast, and Grilled Tandoori Lamb Chops.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy to source ingredients - There are only 6 simple ingredients in this Pakistani street-style recipe, and you're likely to have them all in your pantry. No running to the store with a long list in hand.
- Short cooking time - With a cook time of 20 minutes or less this is a quick and easy snack or side to prepare.
- Easy cooking method - Imagine being able to enjoy grilled corn, rain or shine, without the hassle of lighting up the grill.
The ingredients
- Corn - Fresh seasonal corn works best for this recipe.
- Oil - Any high smoke point oil, such as avocado, canola, or sunflower will work well.
- Lemon - A fresh lemon, cut in half is usually enough for this recipe.
- Spices - The spices used are a mix of salt, red chili powder, and Kashmiri chili powder.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutes & variations
- Use frozen corn - I recently discovered that frozen corn works just as well as fresh one for this Pakistani recipe. This means no extra time spent shucking and cleaning. Plus, you can enjoy this Pakistani street-style air fryer corn long past summer is over. Put the frozen cobs directly in the air fryer and cook using the instructions in the recipe below.
- Use different spices - If using red chili powder is too spicy for you, try paprika instead. You can also experiment with spices like amchur, used in my bhindi masala (air fryer okra curry), or chaat masala, used in my corn masala chaat recipe. These spices will add all the necessary flavor, without the heat.
- Make the Mexican street food version - Follow the instructions in the recipe card below. Then add some crema, cotija, lime, and red pepper mix to bring a Mexican flair to your corn.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1 - Remove the ends on each corn cob to ensure that they will fit in the air fryer basket.
Step 2 - Brush each piece of corn with the cooking oil of your choice. I personally use avocado or canola.
Step 3 - Cook the corn in your air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, turning it over halfway through the cooking process. I usually check it after 8 minutes to make sure it isn't overcooked and after turning it, I like to check it at the 5-minute mark. All air fryers work differently so you may need to adjust the time by 5 minutes or so for your air fryer corn.
Expert Tips
- Don't overcrowd the basket - This will ensure that the heat circulates and the corn gets the desired char. If you are making a large quantity of air fryer corn, just cook it in batches.
- Make sure the corn is in a single layer - This is an important rule for anything you air fry. If the pieces of corn overlap each other, they won't cook uniformly.
- Spray your air fryer basket - This will help when it comes to cleaning the basket later. Every time I forget this step I regret it.
Recipe FAQS
Preheating the air fryer for 5 minutes always helps food crisp up better.
Lining your air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil is perfectly safe and is a great way to save time during cleanup.
Wrap your corn in some foil and add 1-2 teaspoons of water to it. Place the covered piece of corn in your air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes. Carefully remove the foil to let any steam escape and enjoy!
Recipes you may enjoy with the Corn
Hope you decide to try this recipe! Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Air Fried Corn On The Cob (Bhutta)
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn (see notes)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (see notes)
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder (see notes)
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Remove all husks off each corn cob and remove the ends to make it fit in your air fryer basket easily.
- Brush the olive oil on each corn cob.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400? for 5 minutes.
- Place the corn in the air fryer basket and Cook for 20 minutes, turning halfway through so it browns evenly on both sides (see notes).
- Cut the lime in half.
- Mix the salt and chili powder in a bowl.
- Dip the lime in the bowl and make sure it is generously coated with the spice mixture. Rub it generously all over the corn, and enjoy!
Made this corn today and it was awesome!! and so easy to make ?
Thank You! So glad you liked it!
Came out perfect!! Thanks
Glad you liked it!
Good to speak with you Nosheen
Same here Terry
So easy - I love corn but hate making it because it involves hanging around the grill. This timing was perfect and the char was lovely. Thank you!
Great to hear Amber! It's a game changer for sure!