If you want to make authentic Mexican street corn (also called ‘elotes’) that is perfectly cheesy, spicy and tangy, try this easy recipe.
If you’re a lover of elotes, you’re also going to be obsessed with this mexican street corn pasta salad.
Pasta Recipes
Mexican Street Corn Summer Pasta Salad
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Pin ItHow to Make Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
- Grill the Corn. Preheat the grill to medium-high (around 400–425°F). Spread the corn with butter, sprinkle a bit of salt, and grill until it’s tender and nicely charred, turning it every few minutes so it cooks evenly.
- Mix the Sauce. Once the corn is done, cut the kernels off the cobs and place them in a bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, lime juice, and about 1 teaspoon of chili powder. Add a little salt if needed.
- Finish and Serve. Sprinkle cotija cheese over the top, dust with the remaining chili powder, add some chopped cilantro, and serve it warm.
(You may also like: Chipotle Corn Salsa Copycat)
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: I usually grill the corn first and slice off the kernels once it’s cooled down a bit. The sauce can be mixed ahead and tucked in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, I just warm up the corn and toss everything together. It tastes pretty close to freshly made.
To Store: Leftovers keep fine in the fridge for a few days, give or take. I just make sure they’re in a sealed container and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
To Freeze: If I’ve got extra corn, I freeze the kernels on their own without the sauce or toppings. They go into a freezer bag, air pressed out as best I can. When I thaw them (usually overnight in the fridge), I just warm them up and stir in the sauce, cheese, and cilantro. Still comes out delish, honestly.
What to Make with Mexican Street Corn
Elotes is so good with almost anything on the grill, stewed/braised meats and pretty much any Mexican dish. Here are some of my favorites though outside of the obvious enchiladas, street tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican staples.
- Make grilled jalapenos on the side! Probably my single favorite thing to eat with elotes, especially if I am eating it as a meal (which I many times do, lol), is these grilled jalapenos (and these grilled pineapple steaks as well).
- Serve with grilled skewers! While mexican dishes are the obvious choice for serving with mexican street corn, I also love it served with pretty much any grilled skewer from any cuisine, including grilled shrimp skewers, these chicken pineapple kabobs and one of my favorites, chicken satay.
- Include with anything that is made with cilantro and lime! Some of my favorites being cilantro lime shrimp tacos, this cilantro lime rice recipe, this easy cilantro lime salmon and cilantro lime skillet shrimp.
More Good Grilled Corn Recipes:
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Pin ItMexican Street Corn (Elotes)
Ingredients
- 4 corn on cobs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder, divided
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 2-3 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high, about 400–425°F.
- Spread each corn with butter and sprinkle with salt.
- Place the corn on the grill and cook until tender and lightly charred, turning often.
- Cut the kernels off the cobs.
- Mix the kernels with mayonnaise, lime juice, and 1 tsp of chili powder.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Top with cotija cheese.
- Sprinkle with the remaining chili powder and scatter with cilantro.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
