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Plate of golden air fryer corn ribs garnished with cilantro and cotija cheese, elote style

Air Fryer Corn Ribs

5 from 1 vote
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Description

Air Fryer Corn Ribs are crispy, smoky, and elote-style — fresh corn cut into ribs, air fried until charred and curled, then drizzled with chipotle mayo, cotija, and cilantro. Ready in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh is best
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ears corn, husks removed
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh is best
  • ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3–5 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt; set aside.
  • Stand each ear of corn upright and carefully cut straight down with a large, sharp knife. Cut again to quarter each ear lengthwise into ribs.
  • Brush the corn ribs on all sides with the oil mixture.
  • Arrange the ribs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece. Air fry for 8–12 minutes, until charred, golden, and curled.
  • Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, chopped chipotle peppers, and lime juice.
  • Drizzle the hot corn ribs with the chipotle mayo, then top with crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.

Equipment

Notes

  • For extra-crispy ribs, add 1–2 more minutes; for softer ribs with less browning, cook at 375°F for 5–7 minutes.
  • Don't crowd the basket — touching ribs steam instead of crisp. Work in batches if needed.
  • Oven method: Roast on a sheet pan at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, basting with butter partway through.
  • Cotija swap: Feta or grated Parmesan both work.
  • Storage: Refrigerate up to 2–3 days; reheat in the air fryer 3–7 minutes to re-crisp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 566kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 552mgPotassium: 285mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 356IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg