Easy Korean Corn Cheese

By
Clarice Lam
Clarice lam
Clarice Lam
Clarice is a pastry chef with over a decade of writing and creating recipes. Having lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, and NYC in the United States; Canada, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, France, Spain, and the UK, Clarice has had a lifetime of studying cuisines from around the globe.
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Published on 08/19/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
A large skillet of Korean corn cheese, topped with sliced green onions

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 4 3/4 cups

Question: What’s the second best part of Korean BBQ? Answer: Corn cheese! Korean corn cheese technically falls into the food category called anju, dishes that are typically served alongside alcohol. In fact, in Korea they rarely drink without having some kind of snack with it.

What Are Anju?

Anju dishes can range from main courses to side dishes to snacks, and are mostly savory, spicy, or fried. It’s like getting a slice of pizza after a long night of drinking to soak up the alcohol. I wouldn’t know anything about that but this is what I hear people do. However, corn cheese is often served as a side dish at Korean BBQ restaurants as well. It’s so good I always end up finishing it before the meat even hits the table.

What Is Korean Corn Cheese Made Of?

There’s really nothing not to like about this dish unless you just don’t like yummy food. It’s made of corn, mayo, seasonings, and tons of mozzarella all baked in a cast iron skillet until bruléed and gooey. 

In Korea, they usually use canned corn which came from American soldiers during the Korean War, but I prefer the bite of fresh corn so if you are lucky enough to have access to it, I highly suggest using it. 

I also suggest using Kewpie, or Japanese mayo, which has a fuller, sweeter taste than American mayo. I’m a huge garlic person, so I put a healthy amount of freshly minced garlic in this recipe. If you prefer a more subtle garlic flavor, feel free to use less.

How To Adapt Korean Corn Cheese

This dish is so versatile and customizable. You can make it as spicy and cheesy as you like, you can add extras like kimchi or crab meat, you can use it as a dip, and best of all it comes together in about 30 minutes.

Tips for Making Korean Corn Cheese

  • Use cast-iron—I recommend using a cast-iron skillet as it holds heat better and is the traditional way of serving it, but if you don’t have one any other 10-inch skillet with heat-proof handle will work.
  • Use low moisture mozzarella—I like getting a big block and grating it myself to avoid extra preservatives but pre-shredded cheese will work as well. Avoid fresh mozzarella, as it contains too much moisture to work well as a gooey melting cheese.

"This Korean Corn Cheese was rich and delicious. It was buttery and savory, with just the right amount of sweetness. The mozzarella cheese added a melted ooziness that just can't be beat. I increased the gochugara to 3/4 teaspoon because I love its fruity-flavored heat." —Diana Andrews

Korean Corn Cheese/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 medium ears corn or 3 1/3 cups corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained

  • 1/4 cup Kewpie or American mayonnaise

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or cayenne pepper, more to taste, optional

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella

  • 1 medium scallion, thinly sliced for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 F.

    Ingredients to make Korean corn cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. If using fresh corn, shuck and cut the kernels off 4 to 5 medium ears fresh corn.

    A cutting board with four ears of corn with the kernels removed, with a large bowl of corn kernels

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Mix together the corn kernels, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 3 medium cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon gochugaru or cayenne, if using, in a large bowl until combined. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

    A large bowl of corn kernels mixed with mayonnaise, garlic, salt, white pepper, and cayenne

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the corn mixture. Stir to combine and scatter 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella over top.

    A cast iron skillet with butter and the corn kernel mixture, topped with shredded cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Place the skillet in the oven and cook until bubbly and melted, about 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 2 to 5 minutes until browned on top.

    A skillet of Korean corn cheese, with a top layer of melted, bubbly cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Garnish with 1 medium scallion, thinly sliced before serving, if desired.

    A skillet of Korean corn cheese topped with sliced scallion

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How To Store

You probably won’t have leftovers, but if you do, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Add any of the following ingredients to this dish to spruce it up: 

  • Chopped kimchi
  • Fresh crab or imitation crab
  • Diced bell peppers (saute with the butter before adding the corn mixture)
  • Diced onions (saute with the butter before adding the corn mixture)
  • Thinly sliced scallions
  • Sriracha
  • Cooked ramen noodles
  • Cooked rice cakes

You can also use corn cheese as a dip with chips or toast points.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
295 Calories
20g Fat
20g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 295
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 43%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 473mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 200mg 15%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 227mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)