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You haven’t lived until you try our Elotes Mexicanos! Also known as Mexican Street Corn, this is the best elote recipe ever. It is so good!
Jump to:
- What is Elote?
- What is Mexican Crema?
- What is Cotija Cheese?
- Cotija Cheese Substitute
- How to Grill Corn on the Cob without Husks
- How to Grill Corn on the Cob with Husks
- How to Grill Corn on the Cob in Foil
- Elote in a Cup
- What to Serve with Elote
- 📌 Pin it for later!
- What makes this the Best Elote Recipe?
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
What is Elote?
Mexican elote (or Elote Mexicano) is also known as Mexican street corn and is one of the best street foods in the world, period! It is super simple to make and fun to eat.
You make it by grilling corn cobs, then slathering them in Mexican crema, spices, and cotija cheese. This is a perfect summer grilled corn recipe!
The Mexican crema is rich and sweet. The spices give it a kick, and the cotija cheese is salty and crumbly. This creamy corn recipe also uses a squeeze of lime juice for a fresh zing.
You can serve it as is, shaved into a bowl for salad like an esquites recipe, or even as a Mexican Street Corn Dip! One thing is for sure, you are going to want to serve this as a side dish with everything.
Serve up this elote recipe for your family, and I guarantee they’ll be asking you for more. Elotes Mexicanos is so good, it steals the show every time! I love to serve it as a side dish for BBQ.
What is Mexican Crema?
Crema is the Mexican version of French crème fraîche. Both are slightly sour and thickened cream. It is a bit milder and thinner than American sour cream and is perfect for making Elotes Mexicanos.
I have also made Mexican Street Corn using Avocado Crema and it is a really fun twist to this recipe!
What is Cotija Cheese?
Cotija is a Mexican cheese that’s a bit salty and crumbly. It comes in two different types – fresh and aged.
Though both types are salty, the fresh version is very soft while the aged version is harder. The hard version is similar to Parmesan cheese.
Cotija Cheese Substitute
If you can’t find cotija cheese at your local grocer, look for Mexican queso fresco. It is a bit more mild, but will work well in this recipe.
Another alternative to cotija cheese is feta cheese. It has a similar saltiness and texture. All work well for making Elotes Mexicanos.
How to Grill Corn on the Cob without Husks
Grilling an ear of corn is as simple as brushing a hot grill with oil, then placing it on the grill and turning it regularly.
You don’t need to take any extra steps to grill it without husks.
After about 10 minutes, the kernels will be cooked and there will be a slight char on the outside. This char is great for adding a little extra authentic smoky flavor to your Elotes Mexicanos!
How to Grill Corn on the Cob with Husks
The steps to grill corn on the cob with husks are very similar to grilling without husks. You simply need to prepare the husks for grilling.
- Peel the husks back carefully, leaving them attached at the bottom of each cob.
- Remove the silks from the husks as best as you can. Normally, this is where you would season the cobs. Because the Mexican crema we brush on after has our seasonings, we won’t season here.
- Place the husk back over the cob. Grill, as you would normally for the time, stated in this elote recipe.
How to Grill Corn on the Cob in Foil
You can also grill corn on the cob in foil! It’s a quick and easy way to cook the most delicious Elote recipe.
Check out our guide on How to Grill Corn on the Cob in Foil!
Elote in a Cup
You can eat our Elote Mexicano right off the cob or you can make elotes recipe cups!
Using a knife, slice the kernels off the cob and add to a bowl. You can then add all your favorite toppings to make Mexican corn in a cup.
This is similar to an esquites recipe, which is a Mexican street corn salad. It’s so delicious this way!
You can also make it into a Mexican Street Corn Casserole or Mexican Lasagna. They are both SO incredibly good!
What to Serve with Elote
Serve this Elote Mexicano with a good helping of cilantro and cotija cheese. I like to add a squeeze of lime to my Mexican street corn recipe too. It adds a nice acidic zing that cuts through the richness of the dressing and cheese!
It is normally served as a snack, so it is great served on its own or as a side in a Mexican feast. You could easily serve this elote recipe alongside dishes like:
And don’t forget dessert! Carlota de Limon (Charlotte Russe Dessert) is a classic Mexican icebox cake. You could also serve Key Lime Pie Squares or even Fresas con Crema – Mexican strawberries and cream!
📌 Pin it for later!
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What makes this the Best Elote Recipe?
This is the best elote recipe because it is simple, delicious, and pairs well with so many foods. Take it from our readers – they are loving this Elote Mexicano on Pinterest!
It turned out amazing! We don’t have a grill so I wrapped the corn cobs in foil and baked them in the oven at 425 for 20 minutes or so. I substituted grated Parmesan and then drizzled some white queso 🤗
@dizzy__kitty
So easy to make with tons of flavor.
@traceylockhart1900
It’s so good 😩
@justicetylorenz
So delicious and easy to make.
@katieolariv
So flavorful & good! (Even though I roasted the corn in the oven instead of grilling it.) Now a family favorite 🙂 Thank you for an awesome recipe!
@dalek12
Omg this was fabulous!
@theoneanonlyB
Check out our Elote Recipe Web Story!
📋 Recipe
Elote Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cob shucked
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- Zest of one lime
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika can be mild or smoky
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro not packed
- ½ cup cotija cheese
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the Mexican crema dressing ingredients. Combine ⅓ cup sour cream, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 peeled and crushed garlic clove (or 1 tsp. garlic paste), lime zest from 1 lime, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ⅛ cup chopped cilantro (about half of your ¼ cup).
- Grill 4 sweet corn without the husks on a grill, over high heat. Turn regularly for about 10 minutes until they begin to char.
- Take the corn off the grill and brush with the crema dressing all over.
- Finally, sprinkle ½ cup cotija cheese, lime juice from 1 lime, and your remaining cilantro over the top, and serve!
Video
Notes
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- How to Grill Corn on the Cob WITHOUT Husks: If you’re not sure how to grill corn on the cob without husks, it really is as simple as brushing a hot grill with oil, then placing the corn on the grill and turning it regularly. You don’t need to take any extra steps to grill corn on the cob without husks.
- How to Grill Corn on the Cob WITH Husks: If you prefer, you can also grill corn on the cob with husks. The steps are very similar to grilling corn on the cob without husks, you simply need to prepare the husks.
- To prepare the husks for grilling follow these steps:
- Peel the husks back carefully, leaving them attached at the bottom of each cob of corn.
- Remove the corn silks from the husks as best as you can. Normally, this is where you would season the corn. Because the Mexican crema we brush on after has our seasonings, we won’t season here.
- Place the husk back over the corn. Grill as you would normally for the time stated in this recipe.
- To prepare the husks for grilling follow these steps:
Nutrition
Photography by Marie Roffey.
Dannii says
What a great way to jazz up corn! This looks good.
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Dannii! We love elote – it really makes a difference with corn on the cob!
Tatiana says
WHOA!!!!! I have to try this corn, every time I see it somewhere it makes me drool! love it 🙂
Em Beitel says
Tatiana, please do, and let us know what you think! Elote is SO tasty.
Heidy L. McCallum says
This corn looks amazingly good! I might have to double this as we are all corn lovers in this house!
Em Beitel says
Heidy, thank you so much! Let us know what you think when you give it a try!
Tisha says
I love mexican street corn! One of the best ways to eat corn!
Em Beitel says
Agreed completely, Tisha. We love elote!
raiatodd says
I’ve never tried elote before. This sounds absolutely delicious, though!
Jordin Webert says
Thank you Raia! You won’t regret trying this recipe out!
Kimberly Fisher says
That sounds so my kind of flavor! I’ll definitely give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Em Beitel says
We hope you love it! Street corn like this is so delicious.
Tracey says
So easy to make and has amazing flavor!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much Tracey! We’re so glad you liked it!
Betty L Grubb says
Made this last month, and making it again for the holiday! It is so good and the recipe is the real deal. I live in New Mexico and that’s how we do it here! Even my grandkids devour it!! I never leave the husk on as we love the charred corn!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Em Beitel says
Betty, thank you so much for your lovely comment! We are so glad to hear that you and your family enjoy it. We are planning on making more Mexican street corn recipes soon – stay tuned! 😋 Thanks again.
Shauna says
I am making this for a friends wedding this weekend. What is the best way to reheat this as I will have to make it in advance?
Em Beitel says
Hi Shauna! Thank you for your question! The best way to reheat this recipe would be either to wrap the corn in foil and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 F, or microwave on a plate with a damp paper towel over top. You can also make our Hot Corn Dip, which is essentially elotes in a bowl and easy to reheat on stove-top. Congratulations to your friend!
Gwenda says
Wonderful recipe! The very best! However it would be nice to have a way to go straight to the recipe instead of having to scroll down forever to get to it.
Em Beitel says
Hi there Gwenda! We’re very glad you enjoy the recipe! You’ll find there’s a button now to jump to the recipe. Thank you!