This Mexican Street Corn recipe will cap off the summer BBQ season with style!
Late summer corn on the cob is on sale and ready to grill! And with this recipe for Mexican Street Corn you can up-level any BBQ, picnic, or potluck! It’s a burst of sweet, salty, and spicy in every bite, and everyone enjoys it, both young and old. Serve this authentic style, south-of-the-border recipe with all things Mexican. Try it with Chicken Taco Soup or serve it alongside burritos and a pitcher of Cherry Margaritas. Olé!
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What is Mexican Street Corn?
“Elote” is another term for Mexican grilled corn that’s brushed with mayonnaise, grilled, and then rolled in a seasoning blend and Cotija cheese. It is served on a stick or in a paper boat, street food style. No need to have chef skills to make this traditional food because it turns out absolutely, decadently delicious every time.
Ingredients and Variations
CORN: Choose ears that are heavy, with plump, evenly colored kernels. Yellow corn and white corn can be used interchangeably because both are sweet. If fresh corn isn’t available, frozen cobs will work once they are thawed.
CHEESE: For elote, the cheese needs to be dry and crumbly, with a salty flavor that complements the sweet corn. If you can’t find cotija you can use finely crumbled feta cheese. Mayonnaise and sour cream add a full-fat flavor with just a little tang and plain Greek yogurt can be switched out for sour cream.
SEASONINGS: The spice blend pulls all the flavors together! Chili powder, cumin, and cilantro are combined with salt and pepper so you can increase or decrease amounts as desired. Short on time? Use a pre-packaged taco seasoning mix! Easy peasy!
How to Make Mexican Street Corn
- Remove husks and corn silk. Grill corn that’s been brushed with olive oil and salt and pepper per recipe below.
- Crumble cheese in a small bowl.
- Whisk together mayonnaise & sour cream with seasonings and fresh chopped cilantro.
- Roll, dip, or brush grilled corn on the cob in the sauce mixture and then sprinkle on or roll in the cheese. Next, top with remaining cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve hot.
Tips for Perfect Mexican Elote
- For best results, use finely grated cheese because the finer the cheese the better it clings to the corn. Use a box grater or a micro plane for a super fine crumble.
- Try an indoor version of Mexican street corn by heating oil in a heavy skillet to brown the outside of the corn. Or, wrap oiled and seasoned corn in aluminum foil and bake until the corn is tender.
- For a dramatic look, broil elote until the cheese starts to brown.
What Goes with Mexican Street Corn?
Set up a whole Mexican buffet with these delicious ideas!
Pork Carnitas make the ideal entree for a Mexican night, and don’t forget to serve it with some Fresh Guacamole With Tomatoes and definitely some Restaurant Style Salsa. For the perfect salad, try this tasty Cowboy Caviar and serve it with tortilla chips. Instant Pot Pickled Jalapenos taste great as a topping on everything, and for dessert, how about some Baked Churros with Spicy Chocolate Sauce? Yes please!
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Mexican street corn can be kept in a large zippered bag in the refrigerator up to 3 days, and then reheated in the microwave or even in the air fryer. Or cut rows of kernels and layer into a tasty Mexican Lasagna. Freeze elote after removing the kernels from corn for up to 4 weeks in small, zippered bags. You can also add elote to eggs, soups, stir fries, or eat it as a side dish!
Other Tasty Side Dishes!
- Grilled Corn on the Cob – simple recipe!
- Black Bean Corn Salad – delicious as a side or appetizer.
- Oven Roasted Beets – easy way to cook beets.
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli – full of flavor!
- Cabbage and Potato Foil Pack – easy grilling recipe.
Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Ingredients
- 4 cobs corn husks and silk removed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream or crema
- ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder *
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2-3 Tablespoons cilantro chopped, divided
- ½ cup cotija cheese or feta cheese
- 4 wedges lime
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium.
- Brush corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill corn for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chile powder, cumin, and 1 Tablespoon cilantro.
- In a separate dish, grate or crumble cheese**.
- Roll corn in the mayonnaise mixture (or brush it on the corn). Roll corn in cheese (or sprinkle on top). Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges. Squeeze with lime juice before eating.
Notes
**Crumbling by hand, a box grater, and a microplane grater will all work. The microplane makes the cheese fine and easy to roll in. I love the combination of a finely grated cheese with some crumbled by hand.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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Recipe from Spend With Pennies
Such a fun and delish way to eat corn on the cob. Have lots of napkins close by!
So good, right?! My cousin said he’ll never have it any other way after having this recipe!