Corn Maque Choux is a classic Cajun side dish that is creamy, flavorful, and has just a little bit of heat. The smoky bacon grease softens the corn as it mixes with the Cajun spices, and the end result is a delicious Southern side dish.
One of the best things about maque choux is that it can be made from ingredients from your own garden, and it can be tweaked using whatever you have available. Maque choux is the perfect side dish to make from fresh summer corn or as a delicious Thanksgiving side dish.
It is a fun and flavorful alternative to creamed corn or fried corn on the cob, and it adds a little fun to the table.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients Needed
- Seasoning & Recipe Testing Notes
- 🍽 Equipment Needed
- 🥣 How to Make Maque Choux
- Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- 🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 👟 How Do You Pronounce Maque Choux?
- How to Store Leftovers
- Recipe Tips
- What to Serve with It
- 🌶️ More Cajun and Creole Recipes
- Corn Maque Choux Recipe
- ❓What is Maque Choux?
- 🌽 History of Maque Choux
- 🌽 More Corn Side Dish Recipes
Ingredients Needed
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make the best corn maque choux. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Bacon
- Fresh Corn Kernels – Cut from about four ears of corn. You can also use frozen or canned corn, but it needs to be drained very well, and it can’t be cooked very long, or it will get mushy.
- Yellow Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Garlic
- Jalapeño Peppers
- Cajun Seasoning – I like to use my homemade Cajun Seasoning or Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- Heavy Cream
- Optional Additions: Mushrooms, Fresh Tomatoes, Canned Tomatoes, Diced Chiles, Green Bell Peppers, Red Onions
Seasoning & Recipe Testing Notes
Before posting this, I tested this recipe a few different ways to see what was the best. The clear winner was using Homemade Cajun Seasoning, but here’s how to use what you have to make the best maque choux:
- Using this Cajun seasoning recipe. Homemade is always best. I use one tablespoon of homemade Cajun seasoning.
- Store-bought Cajun seasonings. If I use a store-bought seasoning like Tony Chachere’s Seasoning, I will use 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of seasoning and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if needed to increase the spice – otherwise, it can get really salty.
- Using leftover corn from a crawfish boil. If you use leftover corn that is already heavily seasoned, you may only need a sprinkle of seasoning, if anything. Also, do not cook it very long, as it is already cooked.
- Using Old Bay. I know that it is all that some people have access to, so I tested it. Old Bay just is not Cajun Seasoning – it does not have the same flavor profile, so I would highly recommend making homemade Cajun seasoning. The corn tasted good with Old Bay, but it was just not the same recipe.
🍽 Equipment Needed
Nothing fancy is needed to make maque choux.
- A Frying Pan or Large Skillet
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- A Sharp Knife & Cutting Board
- I like to use this corn prep peeler to strip corn kernels off the cobs. It might seem excessive for recipes like this, but I have it for when I make homemade cornmeal or for when I freeze or can fresh corn, so I use it for this too. It works so well!
🥣 How to Make Maque Choux
- Heat a large pan or large skillet to medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook the bacon until it is crispy. (Picture 1)
- Add the onion, celery, and diced red pepper. Cook until the onions are just about translucent, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. (Pictures 2 – 3)
- While the vegetables soften, remove the corn kernels from the cobs. I like to use this handy gadget – it’s called a corn prep peeler, but you can also use a sharp knife. Then, scrape the back of the knife across the corn cob to release the natural milk from the cobs to add more sweetness to the maque choux. I highly recommend using fresh corn just to be able to get the sweet “corn milk.”
- Then add the garlic and jalapeños, as they won’t take as long to cook. Cook the garlic for just a minute or two until it is fragrant. (Pictures 4 – 5)
- Then add the corn and Cajun seasoning. Cook for another 5 – 7 minutes until the corn softens. (If you’re using frozen or canned corn, cook it for less time as it will soften a lot faster.) (Pictures 6 – 8)
- Finally, add the heavy cream. Let the cream thicken for about 2 minutes, stirring so that it does not burn, then remove it from the heat. (Pictures 9 – 10)
Serve, garnished with fresh herbs or diced green onions and hot sauce if desired.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
Traditional Maque Choux is usually only made with bell peppers, but this recipe has jalapeño peppers added to it because I love to use the food we grow as much as we can.
I used homegrown jalapeños in my corn succotash, and it was delicious – I knew this would be good. (And it’s November, and our garden is still giving us 5-10 jalapeños a day!) If you don’t like spicy food, you can leave the jalapeños out.
I’ve read that some people use broth in their maque choux, so if you want to make a lighter version of maque choux, you can use chicken stock or chicken broth. You can also use a mixture of broth and heavy cream. Either way will still taste great, but I really recommend the cream!
- Make it a main course. Add chicken, diced leftover ham, tasso ham, shrimp, or andouille sausage, and make this a main dish. It is so delicious and can really stand out as a star of the show. Serve your maque choux over cooked white rice or green onion rice, and you will have an amazing meal.
- Use different colors of bell peppers. The beauty of this dish is that you can use whatever you have available.
- Add more veggies. Use whatever you have – tomatoes, mushrooms, extra peppers, etc.
- Make it vegetarian. Use butter or olive oil instead of bacon to make it vegetarian.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use frozen corn in maque choux. Fresh is definitely better, but in the winter, use what you can get! Frozen corn works well, but do not defrost it. Just let it soften and cook in the pan with the other vegetables.
Yes! You can use canned corn in maque choux. To use canned corn, drain it before adding it to the pan, and do not cook it very long as it will get very mushy very quickly.
👟 How Do You Pronounce Maque Choux?
Maque choux is pronounced like “mock shoe.”
How to Store Leftovers
Once cooled, leftover maque choux should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should be used within five days.
I like to heat up any leftovers with some kind of protein (tasso ham, andouille sausage, chicken, or shrimp), 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a little extra cream, and pasta (and save some pasta water to add to the sauce get the right texture) to make a Cajun Corn “Maque and Cheese.” It is so good!
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Recipe Tips
- Try not to overcook the corn – you want it to soften but not turn to mush, so let the other vegetables soften enough before adding the corn.
- Start with a small amount of the Cajun seasoning, then adjust after it simmers for a while. You can always add more – it’s much harder to take it away!
- Use good quality bacon, so the smoky flavor really comes through.
What to Serve with It
Maque choux is a great side dish to serve with your favorite main course and a few other sides. I like to mix in some cooked andouille sausage and serve it over rice with a side of cornbread. It also makes a great side dish to serve with Thanksgiving dinner:
- Glazed Ham
- Fried Chicken Tenders
- Crab Cakes
- Grilled Fish, Fried Fish, or Fried Shrimp
- Grilled Steak
- Roast Turkey
🌶️ More Cajun and Creole Recipes
Seafood Recipes
Delicious and Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe
Side Dishes
Buttery Yellow Squash and Onions
Main Courses
Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Corn Maque Choux
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels about 4 ears of corn
- 1 yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery diced, about 1 cup
- 1 red bell pepper diced, about 1 cup
- 1 – 2 jalapeños finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning SEE NOTE BELOW
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For Serving
- green onions diced
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat a large pan or large skillet to medium heat and add the diced bacon. Cook the bacon until it is crispy.4 slices bacon
- Add the onion, celery, and diced red pepper. Cook until the onions are just about translucent, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.1 yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 red bell pepper
- While the vegetables soften, remove the corn kernels from the cobs. I like to use this handy gadget – it's called a corn prep peeler, but you can also use a sharp knife. Then, scrape the back of the knife across the corn cob to release the natural milk from the cobs to add more sweetness to the maque choux. I highly recommend using fresh corn just to be able to get the sweet "corn milk."3 cups fresh corn kernels
- Then add the garlic and jalapeños, as they won't take as long to cook. Cook the garlic for just a minute or two until it is fragrant.2 cloves garlic, 1 – 2 jalapeños
- Then add the corn and Cajun seasoning. Cook for another 5 – 7 minutes until the corn softens. (If you're using frozen or canned corn, cook it for less time as it will soften a lot faster.)3 cups fresh corn kernels, 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
- Finally, add the heavy cream. Let the cream thicken for about 2 minutes, stirring so that it does not burn, then remove it from the heat.¾ cup heavy cream
- Serve, garnished with fresh herbs or diced green onions and hot sauce if desired.green onions, hot sauce
Notes
How to Store Leftovers
Once cooled, leftover maque choux should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should be used within five days. I like to heat up any leftovers with some kind of protein (tasso ham, andouille sausage, chicken, or shrimp), 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a little extra cream, and pasta (and save some pasta water to add to the sauce get the right texture) to make a Cajun Corn “Maque and Cheese.” It is so good! Before posting this, I tested this recipe a few different ways to see what was the best. The clear winner was using Homemade Cajun Seasoning, but here’s how to use what you have to make the best maque choux:- Using this Cajun seasoning recipe. Homemade is always best. I use one tablespoon of this homemade Cajun seasoning. (After the recipe card, there are more recipes to use this seasoning.)
- 2 ½ tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Store-bought Cajun seasonings. If I use a store-bought seasoning like Tony Chachere’s Seasoning, I will use 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of seasoning and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if needed to increase the spice – otherwise, it can get really salty.
- Using leftover corn from a crawfish boil. If you use leftover corn that is already heavily seasoned, you may only need a sprinkle of seasoning, if anything. Also, do not cook it very long, as it is already cooked.
- Using Old Bay. I know that it is all that some people have access to, so I tested it. Old Bay just is not Cajun Seasoning – it does not have the same flavor profile, so I would highly recommend making homemade Cajun seasoning. The corn tasted good with Old Bay, but it was just not the same recipe.
Special Equipment Needeed
- a frying pan or skillet
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
❓What is Maque Choux?
In this maque choux recipe, sweet corn is cooked in bacon grease with celery, red bell pepper, diced onion, jalapeños, and garlic – then finished with Cajun seasoning and heavy cream. (You can substitute any of the peppers for what you have on hand!) The addition of cream mellows out the heat a little and makes this dish absolutely irresistible.
The texture of the finished dish is similar to homemade creamed corn – one that is made with actual cream, not the canned stuff – but it has so much flavor! I like to cook any leftovers with some kind of protein, shredded cheese, and pasta to make a Cajun Corn “Maque and Cheese.”
🌽 History of Maque Choux
Like most food from Louisiana, maque choux has quite a cultural history. From the research I’ve done, the meaning of the name maque choux (pronounced “mock shoe”) seems to come from the Acadian French, who are now known as Cajuns. The Acadian French immigrated to Southern Louisiana from Canada in the 1700s.
Maque Choux stems from the French term maigrchou, which translates to “thin child.” “Thin child” seems to be referring to the addition of cream to the dish to “thin” it out.
The actual dish itself is likely a variation of the Native American dish succotash. A bit of heavy cream was added to the dish to “thin” it out, and the ingredients were adjusted based on what people happened to have available in their gardens at the time.
I made this tonight and everyone loved it!!! It was so fast and not expensive to make. I did add a can of tomatoes and green chilies, some tomato bouillon, and Jessie halls serendipity seasoned salt for seasoning..only because the Cajun is to spicy for my in-laws, I left out the jalapeno 🙁 but it is definitely a keeper ) a little louisiana hot sauce on top gave it just that kick it needed, Thank you!
That sounds so good! I’m glad you all enjoyed the recipe 🙂