I vividly remember summers when I was little, gnawing on corn on the cob, with little pieces of corn getting stuck between the oversized gap between my two front teeth. There’s still nothing better than eating farm fresh corn on the cob dripping with melted butter. But this Mexican Street Corn is like the “adult” version of corn on the cob, and it’s highly addicting.
It’s tangy, rolled in lime and garlic infused sour cream and it’s a bit smoky and spicy, dusted with smoked paprika and harissa powder. The best part? The crispy queso fresco cheese bits on the top!
Makes: 6 ears of street corn
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
The Ingredients
6 ears fresh corn, shucked
2 limes
2 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small bunch scallions, ends removed and finely chopped
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (or sub cilantro…I hate cilantro LOL)
½ cup grated queso fresco (or sub cotija cheese)
Smoked paprika, to garnish
Harissa powder, to garnish
The Steps
For crispy cheese: In a nonstick pan, add about ½ cup of grated queso fresco in a thin layer to form a circular disk. Heat pan to medium and toast queso fresco until the first side is golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Use a spatula to flip cheese disc to other side. Toast that side for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden. Use a spatula to slide onto a plate to cool.
For lime sour cream: In a bowl, add sour cream, finely minced garlic, and juice of a lime. Stir until combined. Set aside.
For corn: Heat grill on high. Place corn on grill and cover, rotating corn every 3-4 minutes until all sides are nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove corn from grill.
To assemble: Scoop lime sour cream onto a plate, and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Roll grilled corn cobs in sour cream until lightly coated. Place coated cobs on a clean plate, and dust with smoked paprika and harissa. Top generously with parsley, scallions, and broken up pieces of crispy queso fresco. Cut up lime wedges and place on plate. Serve with extra napkins!
The Steps with Pictures
For crispy cheese: In a nonstick pan, add about ½ cup of grated queso fresco in a thin layer to form a circular disk. Heat pan to medium and toast queso fresco until the first side is golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Use a spatula to flip cheese disc to other side. Toast that side for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden. Use a spatula to slide onto a plate to cool.
For lime sour cream: In a bowl, add sour cream, finely minced garlic, and juice of a lime. Stir until combined. Set aside.
For corn: Heat grill on high. Place corn on grill and cover, rotating corn every 3-4 minutes until all sides are nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove corn from grill.
To assemble: Scoop lime sour cream onto a plate, and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Roll grilled corn cobs in sour cream until lightly coated. Place coated cobs on a clean plate, and dust with smoked paprika and harissa.
Top generously with parsley, scallions, and broken up pieces of crispy queso fresco. Cut up lime wedges and place on plate. Serve with extra napkins!
