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Home » Grilling » Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

June 17, 2019 By Sara 17 Comments

Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

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This Mexican street corn, also known as elote, is grilled corn on the cob coated in a creamy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, cotija cheese and chili powder. The ultimate summer side dish that always gets rave reviews!

When it’s summer time, I make the most out of the bounty of seasonal produce. I’m constantly preparing watermelon salad, cherry tomato salad and this delicious Mexican street corn.

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Mexican street corn with mayonnaise, crema, cotija cheese and chili powder.

Grilled corn is amazing, but when you slather it in creamy sauce and cheese, it gets even better! This Mexican street corn is on repeat all summer long at my house. It’s the best warm weather side dish around.

What is Mexican street corn?

Mexican street corn is a delicacy served in Mexico that’s also become very popular in American. Ears of cooked corn are slathered in a mayonnaise mixture that’s seasoned with lime and chili powder, then the corn is topped with finely grated cotija cheese. The combination of sweet corn, creamy sauce and salty cheese just can’t be beat.

Bi-color corn on the cob on a sheet pan.

How do you make Mexican street corn?

The first step is to cook your corn on the cob. I prefer to grill my corn on the cob because I like the smoky flavor it takes on. That being said, you can also make elote with boiled or roasted corn. After the corn is cooked, the creamy sauce is brushed all over each cob. The finish touches are the cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder and some fresh chopped cilantro. This recipe calls for Mexican crema, which is similar to sour cream, but thinner in consistency. Crema is sold in the cheese area of most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, regular sour cream will also work.

Corn cooking on a grill pan.

HOW TO CHOOSE CORN ON THE COB

The fresher your corn, the better your elote will taste! When you’re at the grocery store, look for corn that has brown or yellow silk coming out the top that’s slightly sticky. If the silk is black or very dry, the corn is less likely to be fresh. The husk should be bright green and fresh looking, and wrap tightly around the corn. In addition, you can feel the corn through the husk to make sure the kernels are full and that there are no holes where kernels are missing.

A brush coating corn on the cob with a mixture of mayonnaise and crema.

HOW TO SHUCK CORN

To shuck your corn, you’ll want to start by gripping the silk and leaves on top, and firmly pulling down to one side. Repeat pulling down the leaves and silk until your corn kernels are exposed. I like to remove the silk, then bend my husks back and tie them into place with kitchen twine for a nice presentation. That being said, you can just as easily remove the leaves and silk entirely, which is a little easier than tying the husks back. The final step is to use a clean brush and gently brush over the corn kernels to remove any excess pieces of silk that might be remaining.

HOW LONG WILL CORN ON THE COB LAST IN THE FRIDGE?

As soon as corn on the cob is picked, the sugars in the kernels start to convert to starch,. It’s best to eat your corn as soon as possible when you bring it home from the store. You can store your corn in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days. I recommend leaving the corn in its husk until you’re ready to prepare this dish.

Mexican corn off the cob

If you don’t have corn on the cob, or if you prefer to eat your corn off the cob with a fork, you can make Mexican street corn in a skillet. Simply saute 4 cups of corn kernels until they’re tender and caramelized, then stir in the creamy sauce. Top with cotija cheese, chili powder and cilantro, then serve.

Mexican street corn in a pan topped with cotija cheese, chili power and cilantro.

You will not be able to resist this fabulous way to enjoy corn!  It’s great for parties, backyard barbecues, or just as a savory snack.

More summer recipes

  • Israeli Salad
  • Creamy Cucumber Salad
  • Mexican Corn Salad
  • Grilled Vegetables
  • Grilled Mushrooms
Mexican street corn with mayonnaise, crema, cotija cheese and chili powder.
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5 from 14 votes

Mexican Street Corn

This Mexican street corn, also known as elote, is grilled corn on the cob coated in a creamy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, cotija cheese and chili powder. The ultimate summer side dish that always gets rave reviews!
Course Side
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword elote, Mexican corn, Mexican street corn
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 210kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 8 ears corn on the cob shucked
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat a grill to medium heat. Brush the oil over the corn cobs.
  • Grill the corn for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through.
  • While the corn is cooking, whisk together the mayonnaise, crema and lime juice in a small bowl.
  • Let the corn cool for 5 minutes. Brush the mayonnaise mixture all over the corn.
  • Sprinkle the cotija cheese, chili powder and cilantro leaves over the corn, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Grilling, Side Dishes Tagged With: Corn

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Comments

  1. Kelly says

    January 26, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Can this be made over stove top with frozen corn?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 26, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      Yes that will work!

      Reply
  2. Patti says

    July 5, 2020 at 8:50 am

    5 stars
    Made this for July 4th. To rave reviews all around. My daughter and I agree it’s a bit sauce heavy so next time I will make with 5 cups of corn instead of the 4 cups suggested in the recipe. I am also on the hunt for real cotija cheese. I had to use freshly grated Parmesan, but only my daughter could tell. Definitely going in my keepers file!

    Reply
  3. Jammy says

    July 4, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    This was great!! First time trying to make Mexican Street Corn and it turned out so yummy. My chili powder didn’t have any heat to it. I added a bit of Cayenne pepper and it was perfect!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    June 30, 2020 at 10:11 am

    5 stars
    This tasted just like a restaurant made it! Great recipe, thanks

    Reply
  5. Joseph Bergeron says

    September 29, 2019 at 12:50 pm

    5 stars
    WOW!!! I love grilled corn on more then even before using this recipe and so did my guests.

    Reply
  6. Des says

    June 19, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    I have been dying to try street corn! I will be running to get some corn on the cob this weekend just to make this. Can’t wait!

    Reply
  7. Kathy says

    June 19, 2019 at 10:16 am

    5 stars
    I love Mexican street corn! It is a personal favorite of mine and my family.

    Reply
  8. Catalina says

    June 19, 2019 at 5:45 am

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness! How good this looks! Yum!

    Reply
  9. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    June 18, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    5 stars
    This couldn’t look any more perfect! This looks totally awesome!

    Reply
  10. Noelle says

    June 18, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, this is delicious, what a great idea! Love all the flavors in this recipe

    Reply
  11. Vik says

    June 18, 2019 at 2:55 pm

    5 stars
    This looks amazing! Definitely going to try these soon as they look perfect for summer

    Reply
  12. Cindy Gordon says

    June 18, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    5 stars
    Street corn is one of my favorite things in the summer. Nothing better than dressing up some in season sweet corn! YUM

    Reply
  13. Caitlyn Erhardt says

    June 18, 2019 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    MHMMMMM! So yummy and perfect for the summer grill season!

    Reply
  14. Deanne Frieders says

    June 18, 2019 at 2:23 pm

    5 stars
    We love this! Always a hit at our BBQs and summer cookouts!

    Reply
  15. Tisha says

    June 18, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    5 stars
    I definitely need to make this during the summer! It’s so good and always a big hit!

    Reply
  16. Chrissie Baker says

    June 18, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    I can’t tell you how much my family loves this corn!

    Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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