Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

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For a quick grilled snack or simple side dish during the summer, you can’t go wrong with this Elote recipe! You don’t need many ingredients or a lot of time to make Mexican street corn, and the resulting flavor is so complex.

I love the slight tang that sour cream gives grilled elotes, but you can leave it out and use an equal amount of mayonnaise if you prefer a milder flavor. You could also use Mexican crema. And for more easy, tasty side dish recipes with corn, try my creamed corn, corn salad, or corn casserole.

Elote Ingredients

Corn — for 4 servings, you need 4 husked ears of corn. I prefer to pull the husks down and not completely remove them. Make a little knot with a husk strand to gather the husk together, and you have a natural handle for easy grilling and eating!

Mayonnaise — mayonnaise is a creamy coating for the corn that also helps the cheese and spices stick.

Sour cream — sour cream or Mexican crema add tang to the corn cob coating.

Lime — you need fresh lime juice and lime zest for brightness.

Cheese — salty cotija cheese is the best choice, but if you can’t find it at the grocery store, feta cheese will work in a pinch.

Chili powder — smoky chili powder adds a bit of heat. For more spice, add a little cayenne pepper to the chili powder. Or, use Tajina or another chili-lime spice.

Serving — you need chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving.

How To Make Elote

Set of two photos showing corn grilled and mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest mixed in a bowl.

1. Heat your grill to 400°F. Grill the ears of corn until slightly charred and tender. Turn occasionally to get a good char on all sides.

2. While the corn is grilling, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl to make the creamy coating for each ear of corn.

Set of two photos showing the sour cream mixture brushed onto the corn and topped with cotija cheese.

3. Using a brush, slather the mayonnaise mixture all over the grilled corn.

4. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and chili powder. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

A lettuce-shape platter of elote with a bowl of cotija cheese in front.

What Is Elote?

Elote (which means corn cob in Spanish) is a Mexican street food and an absolutely delicious snack or side dish. This grilled Mexican street corn recipe consists of charred ears of fresh corn liberally coated with a creamy mayonnaise and lime sauce, followed by a generous sprinkle of salty cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh cilantro. It is traditionally served and eaten off the cob.

What Is The Difference Between Elote And An Esquites?

While elote and esquites are flavored in basically the same way (with mayonnaise, lime, chili powder, and cheese), they are served very differently.

Elote is corn on the cob, grilled, and then dressed with all the delicious flavor-makers.
Esquites is made of fresh sweet corn kernels grilled or boiled and cut off the cob, then served in a bowl or cup with the creamy sauce and chili powder. Esquites is also referred to as Mexican street corn salad and elote en vaso.

If you like, you can remove the grilled corn from the cob in this recipe before mixing it with the other ingredients. That will give you something closer to esquites!

A bowl of elote corn topped with cilantro with a lime wedge. A glass of water and plate of more limes in the background.

Can I Roast The Corn In The Oven?

Yes, you can roast corn cobs in the oven. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Fully shuck the corn, removing all parts of the husk. Lightly coat the corn with butter or oil and wrap the ears in foil. Roast directly on the middle oven rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Roasting the corn does not impart the charred flavor that grilling does, and it takes significantly longer. So, if weather permits, I recommend grilling the corn for the best flavor; however, both will be delicious!

What Does Elote Seasoning Have In It?

This Mexican corn snack is bursting with flavor! I use a very simple seasoning: chili powder and lime zest! Chili powder is a blend of spices, usually paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano. Some varieties contain cayenne for extra heat, and others are smoky. Just use whatever chili powder you have on hand.

Chili powder is the perfect accent for the creamy mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and cotija cheese. A chili-lime seasoning blend is also a great alternative for a bit of extra zing.

What To Serve With Elote

Serve it on its own as a quick summer snack or an easy side dish. It’s great alongside Mexican mains like chicken enchiladas, birria tacos, and taco salad. If you’re having a cookout, serve it with your burgers, hotdogs, or barbecue chicken.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Lightly pat the cheese onto the creamy coating to help it stick to the corn.
Keep some of the corn husk on each ear. This will give you something to hold on to so you can twirl the cobs around while coating and sprinkling toppings. To make a sturdier handle, take one piece of the husk and wrap it around the rest of the husk, then slip the end over and back under itself to make a little secured knot.
If you can’t find cotija cheese: A block of crumbled feta cheese or grated parmesan cheese will work as a substitute. They don’t taste exactly like cotija cheese, but they are both really good in this Mexican corn recipe.

Overhead view of a plate with an elote topped with cilantro with a lime wedge beside it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is queso fresco the same as cotija?

Queso fresco and cotija are both a Mexican cheese and that’s where the similarities end. Queso fresco is soft and moist, with a mild, milky flavor. Cotija cheese, on the other hand, is a dry, aged cheese that is salty and tangy.

How do you store leftover elote?

If you can, eat it fresh as soon as it’s prepared. The flavor is unmatched! But if you have leftovers, they’ll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I use frozen corn on the cob?

I don’t recommend using frozen corn on the cob because the kernels become soft after defrosting, and the texture will be much different than if you grill fresh ears. However, if you do want to use them, you should fully thaw them first, then grill the cobs until charred and coat as directed in the recipe.

To use frozen corn kernels, sautè 3 cups of corn kernels with oil or butter over high heat until crisp-tender. Transfer to a bowl and stir together with the mayonnaise, sour cream, and toppings.

How far in advance can this be made?

For the best flavor and texture, make elotes shortly before you want to serve them. I don’t recommend making them too far in advance.