I’m an Iowan, and I Never Let Summer Pass Without Making These 11 Corn Recipes

For 37 of my 39 years, I’ve called Iowa home. And for as long as I can remember (even when I resided in New York City at the start of my career), one food, and one food only, tasted like summer. Nope, it’s not ice cream or hot dogs or watermelon. It’s corn.

Iowa grows more corn than any other state in America. Rather than hide from the cliche of flyover farm country, we embrace that title. Farmers proudly sell it out of the back of their pickup trucks in small towns and major metro areas. Vendors fry it and feature it on their menus at the state fair. Pastry chefs at James Beard Award-nominated restaurants sneak it into their luxe $100 banana split desserts. Over the years, I’ve learned that corn has range. So while I certainly enjoy that first cob of corn season (which spans from May through September), grilled and enjoyed au naturel, I love to get creative and feature kernels in recipes from breakfast to dessert. Before the season wraps, might I recommend these recipes, starting with a simple pappardelle.

Take a break from chilled pasta salads and try this light yet satisfying 20-minute meal for dinner tonight. Chicken broth, a glug of white wine and a splash of pasta water help corn kernels, grape tomatoes and garlic melt down into a luscious sauce. Woven through a tangle of pappardelle (or your favorite sturdy, long noodle like tagliatelle) this dish doesn’t miss, according to one home cook. “The freshness of the corn, tomatoes and basil earn this dish two thumbs up. We had it with grilled chicken, and already plan to make it again and again, just as written.”

If you happen to end up with a few extra cobs of grilled corn after a cookout, this crowd-pleasing party dip is the perfect vehicle. Sauteed peppers, onions and chiles team up with grilled corn kernels to infuse this silky dip with Tex-Mex flair. Don’t just take my word for it that this Ree Drummond recipe is a winner. One Food Network fan served this at her Super Bowl party, and said, “guests stayed around the bowl eating with tortilla chips until it was gone.”

True, Jeff Mauro shot to stardom on Season 7 of Food Network Star as the Sandwich King. But this refreshing (and refreshingly easy) recipe is proof that he could bill himself as “soup king,” too. Aromatic leeks, earthy turmeric and a swirl of verdant cilantro oil complement the sweet corn flavor in this creamy chilled vegetarian soup. One home cook deems this cool corn chowder “off-the-charts good! I tasted it from the pan and was in heaven.”

Summer squash is at its peak from June to late August, conveniently overlapping with corn season. So why not make the most of both by inviting them to star in these savory pan-seared cakes? Tucked inside the shredded zucchini and cornmeal batter, bright pops of juicy corn kernels steal the show. Serve these fritters as-is for an appetizer, or top two with a poached egg and and a few shakes of hot sauce, and call it breakfast.

Now this is a summer salad. Jeff Mauro’s potluck-perfect recipe is inspired by elote, a beloved south-of-the-border snack featuring roasted or grilled corn on the cob coated in a creamy sauce, all accented by salty cheese, zesty chili powder and zippy fresh lime. All of those elements — plus black beans and crispy bacon — come together in this salad that eats like a meal.

If we add veggies to ice cream, can we count that towards our five-a-day? Corn ice cream is a staple here in the Midwest. In fact, it was our signature flavor in Food Network Magazine’s 50 States, 50 Scoops feature. Ultra smooth, creamy and reminiscent of buttery cornbread in scoopable form, my favorite way to serve this is sundae-style, drizzled with salted caramel sauce and crowned with a handful of caramel corn.

It’s probably no surprise that tomatoes have been part of the supporting cast several times already. Conveniently in season from May to October, these juicy, sweet-tart fruits are like corn’s BFF, if you ask me. Here, panko-crusted wedges of beefsteak tomatoes top a savory pie filled with a cheesy corn custard. If you don’t want to fuss with the store-bought or homemade pie crust, simply skip it. Just grease your dish well and bake it directly in the pan for a pastry-free remix.

Chili seems like a natural choice in the thick of sweater weather. But during the heat of summer? Stick with me here. By replacing beef with shredded rotisserie chicken, bolstering each bowl with veggies (corn and chopped green chiles) and using chicken broth instead of a heartier tomato base, this chili recipe is the well-balanced dinner I whip up the first day evenings have a hint of crisp in the air. Served with a side of still-warm cornbread slathered in butter, this is the ultimate back-to-school season meal.

Unless Mom tossed kernels into a frittata, I rarely savored sweet corn at breakfast as a kid. But now that I call the shots, these decadent corn cakes are on the menu at least once a month come corn season. They’re just that good. The just-sweet-enough cornmeal flapjacks are studded with fresh corn kernels. To take this breakfast recipe over the top, don’t skip the toppings: thinly-sliced tart Granny Smith apples, savory strips of crisp bacon, maple syrup-infused butter and fresh berries.

When I’m short on time but high on the corn craving scale, I turn to this Ree Drummond creation — and highly recommend you do the same. The 30-minute meal coaxes serious summer flavor out of just seven ingredients. The secret is one of my all-time favorite corn tricks. In addition to using the kernels, Ree uses the back side of a knife across each cob to squeeze out the creamy, flavorful corn “milk” to add to the creamy Parmesan sauce. If this feels a little light for a main, toss in some shrimp or white beans to amp up the protein.