Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
Learn how to make Mexican street corn (elotes) which is grilled corn that has been slathered with a spicy mayonnaise and sour cream mixture and then topped with cotija cheese and cilantro. Elotes literally means corn cobs and it is a real treat! This recipe is easy to prepare and a delicious version of corn-on-the cob. You can use white or yellow corn – just make sure that it is fresh. Prepare the corn by grilling, boiling or cooking it in an instapot and then add the toppings. Personally, I like to grill my corn so it has that delicious charred corn flavor.
Ingredients needed to make Mexican Street Corn (Elotes):
- 4 medium sized ears of corn, shucked and washed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder or Tajin seasoning
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
How to make Mexican Street Corn:
- Cook the corn according to your own preference. Start by brushing butter all over the ears of corn and then grill it until it is charred and tender. Alternately, you can boil the corn or cook it in your instapot. I would highly recommend grilling the corn!
- As the corn is grilling, turn the ears of corn so it chars evenly and you have lovely little grill marks.
- In the meantime, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, garlic, cayenne pepper, chili powder and lime juice together in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Place the corn on a sheet pan or cutting board and generously baste on the mayonnaise and sour cream/crema mixture which will help the remaining ingredients stick to the corn.
- Lastly, sprinkle cotija cheese and chopped cilantro generously on the corn, layering on more delicious flavors and textures.
- If you love spice, sprinkle on more chili powder which will add more color to your elotes.
Serving suggestions:
- Try pairing Mexican street corn with my Pollo Asado which is a delicious marinated and grilled chicken dish.
- Mexican food is always delicious with a refreshing margarita or a mojito made with rum, lime and refreshing mint. You will want to try my fresh mojito cocktail recipe!
Other delicious Mexican dishes to make:
- Chorizo Egg Breakfast Tacos
- Taco Salad
- Crockpot White Chicken Chili
- Pollo Asado
- Pico de Gallo Salsa
- Best Classic Mojito
Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
Learn how to make Mexican street corn (elotes) which is grilled corn that is slathered with a spicy mayonnaise and sour cream mixture and sprinkled with cotija cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 medium ears of corn, shucked and washed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder or Tajin seasoning Plus extra to sprinkle on as desired
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook corn according to your preference. If you want to grill it, brush butter on the ears of corn and then grill until the corn is charred and tender. Alternately, you can boil the corn or cook it in your instapot. I love the flavor of the grilled corn and it's worth taking the time to cook it on the grill.
- While grillling the corn, turn the ears of corn so it chars evenly and you have lovely little charred grill marks.
- While corn is cooking, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, garlic, cayenne pepper, chili powder and lime juice together in a small bowl.
- Place the corn on a sheet pan and baste on the mayonnaise and sour cream/crema mixture with a pastry brush.
- Now sprinkle the corn generously with the cotija cheese and cilantro which will add another layer of tangy flavor.
- If you love more spice, you may sprinkle on more chili powder which also adds color to your elotes.