Best Elote Recipe (Elotes Mexicanos)

Mexican street corn, or Elotes Mexicanos, is a traditional Mexican food that's quick to make and addictive! This elote recipe is a must try for the summer.

Total Time: 15 mins

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You haven’t lived until you try Elotes Mexicanos! Also known as Mexican Street Corn, this is the best elote recipe ever. It is so good!

Street corn is a traditional Mexican side dish recipe that’s quick to make and addictive. You can eat it straight off the cob, like corn on the cob, or serve it in cups!

Mexican elote is even delicious shaved into a bowl for salad, like an esquites recipe! You are going to want to serve this corn recipe with everything. It’s perfect for a barbecue!

What is Elote?

Mexican elote (or Elote Mexicano) is also known as Mexican street corn. It’s one of the best street foods in the world, period! Corn elote is super simple to make and fun to eat.

If you like corn on the cob on the grill, you are going to love this side dish recipe. Especially if you like corn with mayo and Mexican spice blends! It is one of my family’s favorite traditional Mexican dishes, along with Carne Picada.

You make an elote recipe by grilling corn cobs until they char, then slather the cobs in Mexican crema, spices, and cotija cheese. This traditional Mexican recipe is the perfect summer grilled corn recipe!

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, especially when I’m making slow cooker short ribs or grilled pork butt.

Mexican Street Corn Ingredients

• 4 sweet corn on the cob, shucked
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed (or 1 tsp. garlic paste)
• Zest of one fresh lime + lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika (can be mild or smoky)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, not packed
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese
• Lime wedges to serve

The corn and Mexican crema are 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.

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.

What is Cotija Cheese?

Cotija is a Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s a bit salty in flavor and crumbly in texture. Cotija cheese 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 milder, but will also work well in this recipe.

Another alternative to cotija cheese is feta cheese. It has a similar saltiness and texture.

How to Make Elotes

Mexican street corn is so simple to make. The only cooking involved is cooking some corn on the cob on the grill. The remaining ingredients are either brushed or sprinkled over the corn, straight off the grill.

Family Foodie tip: Cooking Mexican street corn recipes moves fairly quickly, so prepare all your ingredients ahead of time!

1. In a bowl, mix together the Mexican crema dressing ingredients. Combine 1/3 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 peeled and crushed garlic clove (or 1 tsp. garlic paste), lime zest from 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/8 cup chopped cilantro (about half of your 1/4 cup).
   
   
2. Grill 4 sweet corn without the husks on a grill, over high heat. Turn regularly for about 10 minutes until they begin to char.
   
3. Brush the corn with the crema dressing all over.
   
4. Finally, sprinkle 1/2 cup cotija cheese, lime juice from 1 lime, and your remaining cilantro over the top, and serve!

Here’s what our readers are saying about our elotes recipe:

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!!
—Betty G.

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 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.

After about 10 minutes, the corn 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!

How to Grill Corn on the Cob with Husks

The steps to grill corn on the cob with husks are very similar to grilling corn on the cob without husks. You simply need to prepare the husks for grilling.

1. Peel the husks back carefully, leaving them attached at the bottom of each cob of corn.
2. 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.
3. Place the husk back over the corn. Grill, as you would normally for the time, stated in this recipe.

Elote in a Cup

You can eat Mexican Street Corn right off the cob or you can make elotes recipe cups!

Using a knife, slice the corn kernels off the cob and add the corn to a bowl. You can then add all your favorite toppings to your 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!

What to Serve with Elotes Mexicanos

Serve this corn recipe 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 Mexican corn alongside recipes like:

• Carne Asada Recipe
• Mexican Rice Bowl with Shrimp
• Mexican Lasagna with Corn Tortillas
• Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

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!

Love Mexican Recipes?

Try these easy Mexican dishes:

• Chilaquiles Rojos
• Mexican Peanut Butter Cookies
• Mojo Verde

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Elote Recipe

Marie Roffey

Mexican street corn, or Elotes Mexicanos, is a traditional Mexican food that's quick to make and addictive! This elote recipe is a must try for the summer.

4.77 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Appetizer or snack, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Calories 299 kcal

🥘 Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 corn on the cob shucked
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• Zest of one lime
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika can be mild or smoky
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro not packed
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese
• Lime wedges to serve

🔪 Instructions

 

• Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and lime zest, plus half of each of the chili powder, paprika and cilantro.
• Heat a grill to high heat. Brush the grill with a little oil, then place the corn on top. Cook turning for around 10 minutes until lightly charred on the outside and the kernels are softened a little.
• Take the corn off the grill and immediately brush with the crema mixture. Place them on a plate.
• Sprinkle with the cotija cheese, and the remaining chili powder, paprika and cilantro.
• Serve while hot.

Video

Notes

TIP—GRILLING CORN:

1. 1. 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.
   2. 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.
      1. To prepare the husks for grilling follow these steps:
         1. Peel the husks back carefully, leaving them attached at the bottom of each cob of corn.
         2. 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.
         3. Place the husk back over the corn. Grill as you would normally for the time stated in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 6gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 362mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 630IUVitamin C: 11.5mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 0.7mg

Keyword elote recipe, elotes mexicanos, mexican street corn

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