Elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn)

Elotes, or Grilled Mexican Street Corn, is an easy side dish topped with mayonnaise, crema, queso fresco, chili powder and lime.

Mexican Corn Salad, BBQ Bacon Oven Roasted Corn and Corn Salsa are just some of the recipes I’ve come up with for  corn, but if you’ve tried all those and still have way too much fresh corn that you need to use up, this is a delicious recipe based off of a favorite Mexican street food.

Elotes are a type of “antojito,” or street snack, similar to esquites (fried corn) or tamales, and they are the perfect side dish for your next BBQ. This corn recipe is a gluten free dish that you can bring to your next potluck or whip up the next time you have to make a quick dinner. They’re especially great if you got a little overzealous the last time you went to the grocery store and you bought way too many ears of corn.

Elotes are fantastic side dishes and they make great leftovers that you can do quite a lot with. The corn will keep in the fridge for multiple days so you can make it before hand and reheat it when you want to enjoy it. This makes your next BBQ that much easier because the side dish is already done.

HOW TO MAKE ELOTE

• Start off by shucking the ears of corn.
• Add the corn to a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes, then drain it and set aside for later.
• Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream (or crema) together in a small bowl and then add the chili powder, cayenne powder and salt to the mayonnaise mixture.
• Sprinkle cotija cheese over the top, add extra chili powder and wedges of lime to serve.

If you liked this recipe and you want some more fun corn dishes, you should check out my Southern Corn Bread, Corn Pudding or Corn Chowder. 

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Flavor Variations of Elote:

• Lemon: If you are out of limes you can serve elotes up with lemon wedges or sprinkle some fresh lemon juice over the top. It gives the corn a fresh, zesty flavor.
• Parmesan: Trade the cotija cheese for parmesan if you want a milder, softer cheese. You can also crumble feta over the top.
• Cilantro: Finely chop fresh cilantro and sprinkle it over the top of the corn. The cilantro adds a bold flavor and a pleasant crunch.
• Crema: Crema is a mixture of heavy cream and buttermilk and it’s delicious on top of corn. Drizzle just a little bit over the top and your mind will be blown. Keep in mind that crema is very rich and a little goes a long way.
• Tacos: Serve elotes with a big plate of tacos or use your leftover elotes, stripped off of the cob, inside the taco for a delicious dinner and a great way to use up leftovers.
• Corn salad: Just like the tacos, you can strip your leftover elotes and use the kernels to make corn salad or corn salsa.

What to Serve with Elote:

• Ultimate Queso Dip: This is a great appetizer that you can whip up last minute.
• Steak Fajitas: These are easy, fast to make and will keep you full for hours.
• Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars: These are delicious desserts that are very shareable so you’ll never have to give anyone a bite of yours ever again.

HOW LONG IS IT GOOD?

• Serve: You shouldn’t leave your elotes out for longer than about 2 hours.
• Store: Your leftovers will be good for about 5 days in the fridge.
• Freeze: You can freeze cooked corn on the cob for up to 3 months.

5 from 5 votes

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Elote

Elote, or Grilled Mexican Street Corn, is an easy side dish topped with mayonnaise, crema, queso fresco, chili powder and lime.

Course Side

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Elote, How to Make Elote, Mexican Grilled Corn

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 181 kcal

Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese , crumbled
• 1 lime , cut into wedges

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Add the corn to a pot of boiling water.

2. Boil for 8-10 minutes then remove from the water and dry well with paper towels.

3. Mix mayonnaise with sour cream and spread all over the corn.
4. Mix together the chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt then sprinkle it all over the corn.
5. Top with the cotija cheese then squeeze a wedge of lime over each ear of corn before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Elote

Amount Per Serving

Calories 181 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 30mg10%

Sodium 464mg20%

Potassium 59mg2%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 421IU8%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 114mg11%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.