Amazing Mexican Street Corn Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Why is Mexican street corn so good? ›

A blend of garlic, cilantro, chile powder, mayo, and Cotija cheese in the sauce, plus a final squeeze of lime, makes the corn sweet, salty, savory, nutty, creamy, and tart all at once.

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.

The power of mayo to hold crumbled ingredients also means you can bring extra texture to corn on the cob. An internet favorite is to make a powder out of Flamin' Hot Cheetos for street corn, but you can get both flavor and crunch by rolling your mayo-slathered corn in crumbled tortilla or potato chips.

SERVE: Elote is best served right away while still warm and should be refrigerated after 2 hours. LEFTOVERS: You can slice the corn off the cob and serve in any of my leftover ideas below. STORE: Place elotes on a plate and cover with plastic wrap or foil. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Cotija is a Mexican-style cheese from the town of Cotija in the state of Michoacán. Made from cow's milk, fresh cotija resembles feta cheese.

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.

Chili powder or ancho chile powder – It adds smoky flavor and a little heat. Cotija cheese – For salty flavor and tang. If you have trouble finding Cotija cheese at the grocery store, a little crumbled feta cheese will work instead. It won't taste exactly the same, but it will still be delicious!

Crema: Crema is a cultured dairy product similar to sour cream. On elote, crema works as the glue for adhering the spices and cheese onto grilled corn. While similar to crème fraîche and sour cream in terms of tang, crema is a bit thinner and sweeter than its tarter relatives.

$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!

Corn on the cob simmered in milk brings out corn's natural sweetness. Slather with butter and sprinkle with pepper for summer's perfect side dish.

Should corn on the cob be soaked before cooking? ›

Soaking corn in water while still in the husk is old news. It's a good way to help your corn steam if you plan on throwing it directly on the grill (or onto a bed of hot coal), especially if your corn is slightly past its prime and its husk has started to dry.

This recipe adds a twist by cutting the corn off the cob and lightening it up by subbing Greek yogurt for most of the mayonnaise. While the corn should be served warm, it can easily be made ahead of time and reheated on the grill or stove, in a cast iron skillet or other heat proof pot.

No worries if Cotija cheese is not available. You can substitute with feta or even grated Parmesan cheese. They both have a similar salty punch to Cotija, although the flavor profile will be slightly different. I've also made this with Feta cheese and it's just as delicious.

While Cotija will soften with heat, it doesn't melt, making it most suited for crumbling and sprinkling. Of course, it's most frequently in Mexican cooking—you might see it as a finishing flourish on enchiladas, nachos, tacos, chilaquiles, or posole.

Elote tastes sweet and savory, tangy and spicy all at once. I love to make mine with grilled corn for some smokiness, too. Elote is made with corn on the cob, slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice, sprinkled all over with salty Cotija cheese and cilantro.

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.

History of Elote

Corn dates back to 6600 B.C.E., when the crop was first grown in Honduras. During the 15th century, corn spread across North America. Once a simple street food, elote is now making its way onto fine dining menus across the continent.

It's hard to think of a more perfect combination of summer flavors: crisp, charred sweet corn; creamy mayonnaise; salty cheese; spicy chilies; acidic lime juice. It's a flavor combination well-loved in Mexico and in big cities in the United States, where it's known as Mexican street corn, a.k.a. elotes.