Slathered in a tangy, smoky chili lime sauce and garnished with salty cotija cheese, this Mexican street corn recipe takes only 25 minutes to make and is the perfect side dish for a Mexican feast or summery barbeque!
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This Mexican street corn or elote is served off the cob, so it’s way easier to eat! While you absolutely can make this recipe on the cob (see the recipe for details), I prefer street corn in salad form, which means less mess and more yum!
First, let’s talk corn. Yes, you can use frozen corn if you’re in a pinch or if corn isn’t in-season, but fresh sweet corn can’t be beaten. Either Grill Corn on the Cob until it’s nicely charred and smoky, sauté it, or do a 50/50 blend of both (which is my favorite method!). Either way, you really can’t go wrong after whipping up the most insanely delicious elote sauce to toss into those sweet little kernels.
A blend of mayo and sour cream create a perfect creamy base, while fresh lime adds a pop of citrusy freshness, and a blend of chili powder and smoked paprika create the best no-fuss spice blend to mix into your crema.
Top with cilantro (or parsley) and cotija cheese for street corn that will feel more like a main dish than a side dish after how much your crew eats!
The best pairing? Serve with a cheesy Chicken Quesadilla or Chicken Taquitos.
Loving creamy corn dishes? Don’t miss my fabulous Corn Chowder Recipe and my Creamed Corn that is made with only two ingredients!
Ingredients for This Mexican Street Corn Recipe
This recipe for street corn, or elote, is made with 10 accessible ingredients in just 25 minutes…and it will be the best you’ve ever had!
- Fresh corn – the best option, without a doubt, is fresh sweet corn on the cob. You can use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the corn off the cob after grilling or before sauteing. If you can’t find fresh corn, you can use frozen corn. Prefer street corn on the cob? My recipe instructions include that option in the notes section!
- Mayonnaise – mayonnaise is a classic creamy base for the sauce.
- Sour cream – sour cream adds a touch of tang.
- Fresh limes – lime zest and juice add citrusy freshness.
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil helps to grill or sauté the corn.
- Chives, or scallions – for a pop of green and onion undertones, chives are my favorite option but scallions can be used too.
- Chili powder – chili powder is a blend of traditional Mexican spices.
- Smoked paprika – for smoky flavor, smoked paprika is the best option.
- Fresh cilantro or parsley – cilantro is a classic garnish, but for any cilantro haters, you can use parsley instead.
- Cotija or queso fresco cheese – crumbly, salty cotija cheese is most commonly used, but queso fresco is a good alternative.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn
Making street corn isn’t difficult! Either grill or sauté fresh corn (or both!), add your quick sauce to it, and garnish with cilantro and cotija cheese. That’s it! For the full recipe, including measurements and ingredients, see the recipe card below. This is an outline.
Step 1: To grill, brush each cob with a light layer of olive oil, and grill for about 12 minutes (3 minutes per side) over medium-high heat. Or sauté corn in olive oil for 4-7 minutes over medium heat.
Step 2: Let corn cool to room temp. While cooling, mix mayo, sour cream, lime zest and juice, chives, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
Step 3: Add corn to the sauce. Top with cilantro and cotija cheese.
My Pro Tip
Pro Tips
How to cut kernels off the cob: Remove silk, place the wider end down, and use a sharp knife to slice downward from the top of the cob to the bottom, cutting off the kernels in a bowl. Rotate the cob and repeat until all kernels are removed.
Corn on the cob method: spoon or brush the sauce on the grilled cobs and sprinkle with cilantro and cotija. If you don’t want to grill corn, brush cobs with olive oil, wrap them individually in foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make elote ahead, storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, although fresh street corn is always the best! After storing, serve chilled or at room temperature (for no more than 2 hours). Garnish with fresh cilantro and cotija last minute if possible.
I don’t recommend freezing leftovers.
Absolutely! You can use regular or fire roasted frozen corn.
They are the same thing!
Street corn is typically served as a side dish to many Mexican main dishes! Some of my favorite mains to serve with elote are Chicken Tacos, Salmon Tacos, Chicken Taquitos, or scooped on top of Homemade Tortilla Chips!
More Mexican Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
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Best Corn Salsa Recipe
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If you’ve tried this Mexican Street Corn Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you are here!
Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh corn
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus ¼ teaspoon packed lime zest
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, or scallions
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Small handful fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
- Small handful cotija or queso fresco cheese, crumbled
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Grill or sauté corn (or 50/50 both!). To grill corn, brush each cob with a light layer of olive oil, and grill for about 12 minutes (3 minutes per side) over medium-high heat. Cut 4 cups of grilled kernels off the cob. Alternatively, sauté corn cut off the cob in olive oil for 4-7 minutes over medium heat until just tender and warmed.
- Let corn cool to room temperature. While cooling, mix together the mayo, sour cream, lime zest and then juice, chives, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Add the cooled corn to the sauce. Place street corn in a serving bowl, and top with cilantro and cotija cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Each cob yields around ½ cup of corn, so you’ll need roughly 8 cobs. Measure out the kernels for best results.
- You can use frozen corn if needed!
- How to cut kernels off the cob: Remove silk, place the wider end down, and use a sharp knife to slice downward from the top of the cob to the bottom, cutting off the kernels in a bowl. Rotate the cob and repeat until all kernels are removed.
- Corn on the cob method: spoon or brush the sauce on the grilled cobs and sprinkle with cilantro and cotija. If you don’t want to grill corn, brush cobs with olive oil, wrap them individually in foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have never had Mexican Street Corn, but because your recipe looked so good and easy too, I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did! Absolutely delicious!
I love this! It’s such a crowd-pleasing recipe for sure!
Grace
I made this for a summer bbq with friends accompanied by grilled Southwest chicken and an assortment of other side dishes. This was by far the crowd favorite. The sweet corn offset the smoky tang just right.
Delicious!!!!!
I love hearing this! Whenever I make street corn, it’s the first thing on the table that’s gone too!
Grace
WOW. I have only ever had street corn on the cob, but I love this idea to be mixed into tacos or nachos! Thank you!
I love being able to do this too! 🙂
Grace