Perfectly seasoned Cajun Corn Maque Choux (pronounced Mock Shoe) is a tasty treat from South Louisiana. Sweet corn, bell peppers and just the right amount of Cajun spice makes this a delightful side dish.
A Traditional Maque Choux (pronounced Mock Shoe) can really be served any time of year. It pairs perfectly with anything grilled, baked or fried.
A Cajun fried corn recipe, well, it's pan fried I guess you could call it. Or sauteed. It's one of the best Cajun side dishes there is.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe so yummy
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- More recipes I think you'll love
- How to store leftovers
- Mel's kitchen notes
- Melanie Cagle
- Frequently asked questions: FAQ's
- Maque Choux
- 💬 Comments
What makes this recipe so yummy
- It's super easy to make.
- The ingredients are inexpensive - which is great in this economy.
- These are pantry staple ingredients that you should already have at home.
- This is a classic Cajun side dish - Cajun food perfect for Mardi Gras time. A great southern Louisiana food.
- It'll remind you of New Orleans street food.
- A perfect corn-based side dish for ANY meal.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Add chopped bacon to a skillet and cook over a medium-high heat until almost crispy.
- Step 2: Lower heat and add chopped bell peppers and onions and cook over medium heat until soft.
- Step 3: Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Add corn, broth and seasonings and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Step 5: Add creamed corn and tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes.
- Step 6: Serve immediately.
Hint: Maque Choux tastes delicious both hot and fresh but also cold like a salad too.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Black Pepper - tastes great.
- Jalapeño Pepper - add this green pepper for some added heat.
- Andouille Sausage - you could use andouille sausage instead of the bacon. Remember this will add more Cajun spices - you may have to adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Green Onions - sprinkle some in at the end.
- Heavy Cream - the addition of cream instead of the creamed corn.
- Red Pepper Flakes - for some added heat.
- Fresh Corn Kernels - if you have ears of fresh corn this can taste so much better. Cut the kernels away from the corn cob and use in place of the frozen corn.
- Olive Oil - omit the bacon at the beginning and cook the vegetables this way.
- Bay Leaf - remember to remove before serving.
- Celery - can be another great vegetable that adds flavor.
- Garlic Powder - adds a little further garlic taste.
- Hot Sauce - for more heat.
- Tasso Ham - in place of the bacon - tasso has great flavor.
- Poblano Chili - for a more smoky heat.
- Unsalted Butter - Instead of the bacon fat.
- Creole Seasoning - this tastes great in there instead of the Cajun seasoning.
- Chicken - add some chicken pieces for a chicken maque choux.
- Shrimp - same as above. Shrimp Maque Choux.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
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The only equipment needed is a large skillet, and perhaps a chopping board to chop all your ingredients.
It can work well in a Dutch Oven too, or cast iron skillet.
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How to store leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
Cajun corn maque choux does take well to freezing. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
Mel's kitchen notes
It's simple to make this a meatless dish, use butter to start the recipe (instead of bacon grease) and use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock.
About The Author
Melanie Cagle
Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.
Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.
Frequently asked questions: FAQ's
There are quite a few interpretations of this. The best I could find was that it's a French interpretation of a Native American dish cooked in Louisiana by Native Americans at the time - chou bacon. Pronounced "Mock Shoe".
Most definitely - it would make a great cold salad type of dish.
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Maque Choux
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Slices Bacon chopped
- 1 Each Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Each Green Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Each Red Bell Pepper diced
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 (12 Ounce) Bags Frozen Corn
- ¼ Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 (15 Ounce) Can Cream Style Corn
- 2 Each Fresh Tomatoes deseeded and chopped
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet and cook until almost crispy.4 Slices Bacon
- Add the onions and bell pepper to the bacon grease and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. The add the garlic and cook a few minutes more.1 Each Yellow Onion, 1 Each Green Bell Pepper, 1 Each Red Bell Pepper, 6 Cloves Garlic
- Add seasonings, sugar and frozen corn and broth and cook a further 15 minutes.1 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning, ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 (12 Ounce) Bags Frozen Corn, ¼ Cup Chicken Broth
- Add cream of corn and tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes.1 (15 Ounce) Can Cream Style Corn, 2 Each Fresh Tomatoes
Nutrition
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Shelby says
Loving the smoky bacon and cajun flavors! This is going to be a regular side dish on my table.
joyce lehman says
This is a good recipe except it is a little sweet for my taste. I used half the sugar called for but I wouldn't use any next time. The cream corn makes it plenty sweet. I also am not a big fan of cayenne pepper and only used half of that.