Corn Dip

This irresistible Corn Dip combines creamy, smoky, and tangy flavors. Perfect with chips, bread, or veggies. A hit at parties, game days, and movie nights - it's a crowd-pleaser that disappears quickly!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 222kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

Ingredients

4-5 cobs corn (or 1 pound of frozen corn)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, diced
2 medium bell peppers, diced (any color)
10 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (and to taste)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional and to taste)
¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and to taste)
1 whole lemon, zested
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces sour cream, room temperature
8 ounces Colby jack, freshly shredded
8 ounces white sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
¼ - ¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
½ whole lemon, juiced
Corn, parsley, and green onions

Instructions

Optional step if grilling corn. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush corn with a little bit of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) using a pastry brush. Add to a hot grill pan. Grill until nice char marks form on the corn, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Allow them to cool down for about 10 minutes before cutting them off the cob. Once cooled, cut the corn kernels off the cob and set aside. (See notes if using canned or frozen corn).
Meanwhile, preheat a separate large skillet over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To the hot skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to melt. Add the bell peppers, along with the shallots with a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Next, add in the garlic, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (to taste), ¼ - ½ teaspoon of cayenne (to taste), and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds - 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat to low. Add in 1 block of softened cream cheese and 8 ounces of sour cream. Stir until combined.
Add about ⅓ of the cheese (about 5 ounces) at a time, melting completely until the next handful is added. Stir gently to melt and combine until all of the cheese is added.
Once combined, add back the corn, ¼ - ½ teaspoon of black pepper (to taste), and the juice of half a lemon. Stir to combine until smooth, and adjust seasonings to taste.
Remove from the heat. If needed transfer the dip to a casserole dish to bake until golden brown and bubbly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Garnish green onions, parsley, and more grilled corn. Serve with your favorite crackers, bread, chips, or veggies. Enjoy!
Let the dip cool down completely then transfer to an airtight container. Place the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.

Notes

Use freshly grated cheese if possible. This will ensure the best melty cheese pulls! Pre-shredded cheese has additives that make it clump together a bit more, so it just doesn’t melt as well.
Use room-temperature sour cream and cream cheese. This will help ensure the mixture comes together quickly and easily without any lumps of cream cheese.
Add lemon juice last. The acid can make cheeses clump up a bit. Plus, we like to let the lemon juice retain its freshness and bright citrus notes.
Season as you go. Add a pinch of salt to the veggies to bring out their flavors. Don’t forget to add pinches of salt as you go, tasting along the way.
Don’t skip grilling the corn if using fresh corn. Grilling it adds a smoky flavor. Make sure to brush the corn lightly with oil and rotate every 2-3 minutes to achieve an even char on all sides.
If you're not using fresh corn. If using canned corn, simply drain the excess liquid, and cook corn with a little bit of olive oil in a hot skillet to brown it. There's no need to thaw frozen corn, you may just need to cook it for a few minutes extra to remove excess liquid and get it a nice golden brown color. You can also skip adding any char to the corn, but it adds a ton of flavor! (**You'll need about 1 pound of frozen corn or canned corn.)

Nutrition