Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (2024)

I don’t know if there’s a tastier way to enjoy corn on the cob than Elote corn, smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and lime. This popular Mexican corn recipe was my absolute favorite street food to eat while living in Mexico and makes a great side dish for any BBQ or potluck.

If you’d rather enjoy corn cut off the cob, don’t miss my esquites recipe, or try this Corn Salad.

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (1)

My first experience with authentic Elote was in Puebla, Mexico while living there during a school internship, and it quickly became my favorite snack whenever we were exploring the streets of the city. I just couldn’t get enough Elote and Esquites! This was one Mexican recipe I refused to leave the country without!

What is Elote?

The world “elote” means “corn cob” in Spanish, and Mexican Elote is grilled corn on the cob slathered in a mayo cream sauce and garnished with chili powder, cheese and lime. Elotes (and esquites) are as commonly sold from street carts in Mexico as hot dogs are in Manhatten.At least that’s what I experienced while living in Puebla, Mexico!

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (2)

How to make Elote:

Cook the Corn: You can cook the corn cobs on the stove, on a grill, or in the instant pot. For the stove, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the ears of corn and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Spread with Butter (Optional): If corn was cooked on stovetop or instant pot, Spread melted butter over the cooked corn and grill until slightly charred on all sides.

Add Crema Mixture: Mix the mayonnaise and Mexican crema together, then spread a thin layer over the cooked corn cobs.

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (3)

Enjoy: Sprinkle generously with cotija cheese and then desired amount of chili powder. Serve garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge on the side, for squeezing on top. Enjoy Elote corn immediately.

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (4)

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make-Ahead: Cook the corn, allow to cool and store covered in the fridge. Prepare the topping ingredients and store in the fridge. When ready to assemble, brush the corn with melted butter and grill over medium-high heat just until charred. Spread with toppings.

To Freeze: Blanch the corn on the cob for a few minutes in boiling water. Remove and allow to cool before storing a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Brush the corn with melted butter and grill over medium-high heat just until charred. Spread with toppings and serve the Mexican street corn immediately.

More Mexican Favorites:

  • Tamale Pie
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Authentic Mexican Rice
  • Pozole
  • Esquites (Mexican Corn in a Cup)
  • Homemade Refried Beans
  • Horchata
  • Mexican Tamales

Follow me for more great recipes

Recipe

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (5)

5 from 149 votes

Elote Recipe

Elote, commonly called Mexican Street Corn, is grilled corn smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and lime. Serve it as a snack or side dish for summer BBQ's and potlucks.

Print Pin Review

Author Lauren Allen

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 162

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 20 minutes mins

Save Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 ears corn* , husked
  • 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons Mexican crema , or sour cream
  • ½ cup Cotija cheese , freshly grated, or queso fresco*
  • chili powder , or tajin, to taste
  • 1 lime , quartered
  • fresh chopped cilantro , for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the ears of corn and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (or cook them in the instant pot).

  • (Optional step): Brush corn with melted butter and grill corn on medium heat until slightly charred.

  • Mix the mayonnaise and Mexican crema together and spread a thin layer all around the corn ears.

  • Sprinkle generously with cotija cheese and then desired amount of chili powder. Serve garnished with cilantro, and with a lime wedge on the side for squeezing on top.

  • Enjoy immediately.

Notes

Corn: White corn is traditionally used in Mexico, but yellow corn can be substituted.

Cheese: Cotija cheese is traditional, but if you can’t find it, substitute finely grated parmesan cheese.

Pro Tip: If using fresh husked corn, leave stem end attached as something to hold on to while eating. Otherwise stick a long wooden skewer into the end of the corn before grilling or coating, to make them easier to hold and eat.

Esquites: If you like your corn cut from the cob, try making Esquites instead (Mexican corn served in a cup).

Make-Ahead Instructions: Cook the corn, allow to cool and store covered in the fridge. Prepare the topping ingredients and store in the fridge. When ready to assemble, brush the corn with melted butter and grill over medium-high heat just until charred. Spread with toppings.

Freezing Instructions: Blanch the corn on the cob for a few minutes in boiling water. Remove and allow to cool before storing a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Brush the corn with melted butter and grill over medium-high heat just until charred. Spread with toppings.

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 316mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 294IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Nutritional calculation is not perfectly accurate, as you may not use all of the mayo/crema sauce or cheese, depending on preference.

Follow Me

I originally shared this recipe May 2020. Updated April 2023.

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Spaetzle

Deviled Eggs

Breakfast Potatoes

Roasted Vegetables

Published

Categories

  • Kid Friendly Recipes
  • Mexican
  • Side Dishes
  • Snacks/Misc.

About The Author

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (10)

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

Learn More

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Corn) (2024)

FAQs

What kind of corn is used for elotes? ›

Ears of corn- White corn is traditionally used in Mexico, but I just use sweet yellow corn because it's much easier to find. Sweet corn is a vibrant yellow color with plump kernels. For a mess free experience, you can also opt to use corn off the cob to make esquites instead. Its the same thing as elotes, but in a cup.

What is Mexican street corn made of? ›

What Is Street Corn. Also referred to as Mexican elote, Mexican food corn, street corn, or Mexicorn on the cob, essentially it is corn on the cob smothered with a sauce made by using a mayo-sour cream mixture and sprinkling it with cotija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

What powder do they use for elotes? ›

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.

What is the yellow thing they put on Elotes? ›

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 kind of mayo is used for 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. Fresh lime juice and zest – For brightness.

Is Mexican corn different from American corn? ›

U.S. corn production is almost exclusively of the yellow corn variety, with the majority used for purposes other than human consumption (e.g. feed, ethanol). In contrast, Mexico produces mainly white corn, and a greater share of Mexican corn than U.S. corn is used for food.

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.

What is a substitute for Cotija cheese? ›

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

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.

Do you use chili powder or Tajin for elote? ›

This recipe calls for chili powder, but by all means, if you have Tajín, use it. Just cut back on the salt, as it's already in the blend. Whip up a batch of elote as a fun summertime snack or appetizer or serve alongside tacos, carne asada, or your favorite barbecue fare.

What is it called when elote is in a cup? ›

Esquites (or ezquites) (troles and trolelotes in Northeast Mexico, chasca in Aguascalientes, vasolote in Michoacán, etc.) also known as elote en vaso (corn in a cup), also served in the Southwestern USA is a Mexican snack or antojito.

Is elote yellow or white corn? ›

Soto, who was born in Pachuca, Hildago, in Mexico, said white corn is typically used for elotes. Sometimes people prefer yellow corn. She prepares them both ways, based on the customer's preference. As long as it's not out of a can, then you're on the first step to an authentic elote.

What kind of cheese is used for elotes? ›

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 does the word elote mean in Spanish? ›

"Elote" is a noun which is often translated as "corncob", and "maíz" is a noun which is often translated as "corn". Learn more about the difference between "elote" and "maíz" below.

What is an elote bite? ›

$7.95. Delectable bites of sweet corn and mexican spices, crispy and sprinkled with fresh cut cilantro, crumbled Queso Fresco and drizzled crema and a lime slice...a modern bite of traditional flavor!

What type of corn is used in Mexico? ›

Hominy (Pozole) and Masa

The form of maize most used in Mexican cuisine is dent corn that has undergone the nixtamalición process. First, the kernels are removed from the cob and dried. The dried kernels are boiled in water that contains cal, or slaked lime.

Is field corn edible by humans? ›

People don't eat field corn directly from the field because it's hard and certainly not sweet. Instead, field corn must go through a mill and be converted to food products and ingredients like corn syrup, corn flakes, yellow corn chips, corn starch or corn flour.

What type of corn is flint corn? ›

Indian or flint corn (Z. m. indurate) has very low water content and a very hard outer layer on the kernels (giving rise to the common name flint, as in the stone). It is one of three types that was cultivated by Native Americans in the northern part of the US as a staple food.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Aron Pacocha

Last Updated:

Views: 6646

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (68 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Aron Pacocha

Birthday: 1999-08-12

Address: 3808 Moen Corner, Gorczanyport, FL 67364-2074

Phone: +393457723392

Job: Retail Consultant

Hobby: Jewelry making, Cooking, Gaming, Reading, Juggling, Cabaret, Origami

Introduction: My name is Aron Pacocha, I am a happy, tasty, innocent, proud, talented, courageous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.