Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (2024)

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Mexican Street Corn is grilled corn on the cob smothered with a creamy spread and then sprinkled with a Mexican cheese topping. This is the best street corn recipe!

My recipe for Mexican street corn is very easy and smothered with a delicious creamy Mexican cheese spread. You will love this Mexican corn on the cob (also called elote). Watch the step by step video and scroll for the full recipe at the end of this post.

Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (1)

This Mexican Street Corn on the cob is the best. It's our favorite way to eat grilled corn on the cob. We first had street corn years ago at one of our local restaurants. We now make it at home on our grill, because it's super easy and amazingly flavorful.

Ingredients for Street Corn

Do you ever wonder what you can put on corn instead of butter? Our Mexican street corn is made with a bit more pep than normal corn on the cob.

Grocery List:

  • Corn on the cob
  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour cream
  • Cotija (Mexican cheese)
  • Lime juice
  • Paprika.

The cilantro is totally optional -- really just to make it look pretty. If you cannot find Cotija cheese, you can sub with Parmesan (which we often do just to save money!)

Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (2)

What Others Are Saying

This has been requested at least once per week in my house since we first tried it! Thanks so much! -Amy

Made this tonight, but with parmesan cheese because it’s what I had on hand. Absolutely fabulous. Hubby and son both raved over it. Thanks for a great recipe! -Stephanie

It is so delicious. My children ask for it every time we grill or they even see corn. -Anonymous

How to Make Mexican Street Corn

It is so easy to make this Mexican corn recipe at home. Just a quick mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream and a few spices does the trick! Traditionally the corn on the cob is grilled first then smothered with the cream.

  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  2. Grill corn directly over heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning often.
  3. Combine spread ingredients in one bowl and crumble topping ingredients in another bowl.
  4. Transfer corn cobs to large platter.
  5. Smother with creamy spread. Sprinkle evenly with crumble topping.
  6. Serve immediately.

Sprinkle with Cotija cheese, or Parmesan if you can't find Cotija. Queso fresco and feta can work here as well. You can pierce with a wooden skewer or not. If choosing to use the wooden skewer, soak them in water for 30 minutes to avoid scorching on the grill.

Click here for the full Mexican Street Corn recipe ingredients, step by step video and instructions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to grill the corn?
Although I love the charred bits from grilling the corn, you can boil the corn cobs for 5 minutes in a large pot of water on your stove top.

Do I have to use Cotija cheese?
No, absolutely not. In fact, we often use Parmesan or feta. We do love the Cotija flavor, but it can be expensive and sometimes hard to find. (Although in recent years it's been more available.) You can use queso fresco, as well.

What to Serve With Street Corn

Street corn is great with any Mexican meal or backyard barbecue! Try it with grilled chicken tacos, enchiladas, my Santa Fe Burger, or whatever floats your boat!

If you're looking for more grilling recipes, I have a few favorite ideas already on the blog. But, I'm guessing you came here for the corn!

Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (5)

Other Favorite Mexican Recipes:

  • Mexican Corn Salad
  • Taco Soup
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Homemade Taco Seasoning
  • Easy Mexican Rice

Print the recipe or PIN it to save for later. Made this recipe? Leave a star rating and tag me on social media @seededtable so I can see. I love hearing from you!

This article was originally published in May 2014 and updated with additional photos without changes to the recipe in February 2022.

Recipe Card

Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (6)

Print Recipe

4.60 from 62 votes

Mexican Street Corn

Mexican Street Corn is grilled corn on the cob smothered with a creamy spread and then sprinkled with a Mexican cheese topping. This is the best street corn recipe!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Easy Mexican Corn Salad, how to make mexican street corn, mexican corn on the cob, mexican street corn, mexican street corn recipe, Street Corn

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Nikki Gladd

Ingredients

  • 5 ears fresh corn , husked

For the Spread:

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons sour cream , or greek yogurt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
  • Juice from one lime

For the Topping:

  • ¼ cup grated Cotija cheese (or Parmesan, Feta or Queso Fresco)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or chili powder if you want heat)
  • Chopped cilantro , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Pierce a skewer halfway into the bottom of each corn cob. (If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for 30 minutes, first.)

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat (between 350-450 degrees F).

  • Place the corn directly over the heat, cover and let cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning often, until the kernels are spotted brown.

  • Meanwhile, combine the spread ingredients in a small bowl, and the topping ingredients in a separate small bowl; set aside.

  • Carefully remove the corn cob from the grill and transfer to a large platter. Smear the spread all over each corn cob, then sprinkle evenly with the topping. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Grilling: If you do not have time to first grill the corn cobs, you can boil them on the stove top for 5-7 minutes. Or, use an open flame burner to achieve the charred kernels.
  • Skewers: Skewers are optional. If using wooden skewers, first soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes.
  • Topping: Use any crumbly white cheese like Cotija, feta, queso fresco or Parmesan. Cilantro is optional.
  • Video: Watch the step by step video for more.
  • Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cob | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

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About Seeded At The Table

Thanks for visiting! We’re the Gladd family! We love donuts, Disney, LEGO and Jesus. Not in that order, of course. 🙂 Ben shares DIY wood-working projects and Nikki shares delicious recipes. You’ll also find a sprinkling of travel adventures and other family fun ideas!

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Mexican Street Corn Recipe + VIDEO - Easiest recipe for home cooks! (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between elote and Mexican street corn? ›

Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, is a popular Mexican street food made from grilled or boiled ears of corn on the cob that is slathered in a creamy mayo sauce and garnished with chili powder, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. The word “elote” means “corn” in Spanish.

What kind of mayo is used in elote? ›

Elote Recipe Ingredients

Mayonnaise – It creates a creamy coating for the corn and helps the other fixings stick. I love the flavor of 100% mayo on elote, but if you prefer, you can sub Mexican crema or sour cream for some or all of it.

What is Mexican street corn made of? ›

This Mexican Street Corn recipe is a common Mexican street food that is made by grilling corn on the cob and then coating it with a mixture made up of mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chile powder, and lime.

What is elote seasoning? ›

A bold and versatile seasoning blend, our Elote Seasoning blend is filled with chili pepper, cumin, lime, parmesan cheese and garlic. Just as versatile as our Everything Bagel blend, this shaker is delicious on everything from elote street corn on the cob and scrambled eggs to popcorn and even BBQ pork ribs.

Is Cotija cheese the same as Parmesan cheese? ›

One of Mexico's most famous cheeses, cotija is a semi-hard, slightly aged cheese with the crumbly texture of parmesan but a stronger, saltier flavor. Try as you might, cotija cheese won't melt, so it's sprinkled or crumbled on everything from soups and salads to tacos and tostadas.

What is the yellow sauce on elote? ›

Elote (pronounced: eh-loh-teh) is a dish comprised of cooked sweet corn slathered in a spicy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, and chili powder, and then sprinkled with cheese.

What can I use instead of cotija cheese for elote? ›

Feta cheese, Quesco fresco and Goat cheese crumbles are the top 3 cotija cheese substitute. Romano cheese is also a good replacement.

What kind of cheese is used for elote? ›

What Is Elote? Elote, or Mexican corn on the cob, is a popular street food in Mexico (that's why it's also known as Mexican street corn). Corn on the cob is charred on the grill, slathered with butter and mayonnaise, and finished with salty Cotija cheese.

What powder is used for elote? ›

The classic seasoning for elote is chili powder, but we have also found that we love it with smoked paprika. So maybe do a few cobs with each and see which one you prefer. You can sprinkle them on the corn with the cotija cheese and then squeeze fresh lime juice all over each corn on the cob.

Why is Mexican street corn so good? ›

A blend of garlic, cilantro, chile powder, mayo, and Cotija cheese in the sauce, plus a final squeeze of lime, makes the corn sweet, salty, savory, nutty, creamy, and tart all at once.

Why does Mexican corn taste different? ›

The taste is different. Corn was domesticated right here in Mexico. For thousands of years, farmers here carefully mixed varieties of maize in small plots of land. But globalization made American yellow corn more common because it's so cheap.

What is the Mexican corn that has fungus? ›

Huitlacoche, pronounced weet-la-COH-cheh, is a fungus that grows on ears of corn. It is also known as cuitlacoche, corn smut, and Mexican truffle. It is a plant disease that causes smut –multicellular fungi with many spores – to grow on maize and is a delicacy in Mexico.

What's the red powder on elote? ›

Tajin- some sort of chili powder is usually added to elotes, and my favorite is Tajin. It's also something you can easily find at any grocery store. Hot sauce- This is optional- I like Tapatio or Valentina but you don't have to add hot sauce if you don't want to.

What is in Trader Joe's Everything But the elote seasoning? ›

Sugar is followed by sea salt, corn flour, chile pepper, Parmesan cheese, chipotle powder, natural flavor, citric acid, dried cilantro, organic rice fiber, and cumin powder. I can't get enough of this seasoning blend. It's sweet, smoky, salty, and tart, with a subtle undertone of corn flavor.

Is Tajin the same as elote? ›

Tajin is a common elote seasoning, lending a spicy and extremely tangy flavor. It also gives them their characteristic red-orange hue. Substitute: If you don't have access, replace it with ancho chile powder, paprika, or cayenne with lime zest or extra lime juice.

Why is elote called street corn? ›

This is because street vendors across Mexico serve this deliciousness on a stick, and they've been doing it for a long time. Well, since elotes are corn on the cob that's served on a stick, and since they are traditionally served on a street, the name street corn stuck.

What is the difference between corn and elote? ›

If you're unfamiliar, elote consists of corn on the cob with toppings like mayonnaise, lime juice, queso fresco, chile powder, and a variety of other spices. In Mexico, elote is usually made with white corn instead of the yellow sweet corn typically found in the United States.

What are the different types of Mexican corn? ›

Some of the varieties are:
  • Coralillo.
  • Purple corn.
  • Red maize.
  • White maize.
  • Pinto tall.
  • Pinto white.
  • Pinto mosca.
  • Pinto yellow.

What is Mexican elote made of? ›

Elote is made with corn on the cob, slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice, sprinkled all over with salty Cotija cheese and cilantro. It's messy to eat but worth every bite. Elote is the perfect summertime side dish for any Mexican-inspired meal.

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