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Home » Recipes » Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

by Mike Hultquist · May 2, 2022 · 6 Comments

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Elotes Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

This elote recipe makes the best Mexican street corn with grilled corn on the cob slathered with mayonnaise, lime juice, spices and crumbly white cheese. Also try my esquites recipe (Mexican Street Corn Salad).

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

Fire up those grills, my friends! We're cooking up the perfect side dish for BBQs, parties, or weeknight cooking.

If you love corn on the cob, you're going to love this Mexican version. It's called Elote, and it is definitely one of our favorites.

What is Elote?

Elote is a Mexican recipe of corn on the cob that is slathered in mayonnaise, lime juice and spices, then dredged in crumbly white cheese. It is a popular Mexican street food, referred to as Mexican Street Corn, and it is hugely satisfying.

Consider it a comfort food with loads of flavor, ideal for snacking or for backyard barbecues.

Elotes can be messy to eat, but you won't mind once you dig into one. I like to pierce the golden grilled corn cobs with wooden skewers to make them easier to handle, though you can easily leave part of the cob intact when shucking them.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do.

Let's talk about how to make elote, shall we?

Elote Ingredients (Mexican Street Corn)

  • Fresh Corn on the Cob. I love fresh sweet corn.
  • Fresh Lime.
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Seasonings. I'm using ancho powder, guajillo powder, garlic and salt. You can sub in your favorite chili powder blend, or use other spices, like cayenne or paprika. Try this elote seasoning recipe.
  • Crumbly White Cheese. I often use Cotija cheese, but feta cheese works great. Or, try making your own with my Queso Fresco Recipe. Feel free to use your favorite.
  • For Serving. Fresh chopped cilantro, hot sauce, spicy red chili flakes.

How to Make Elote (Mexican Street Corn) - the Recipe Method

Grill the Corn. Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the corn for 10 minutes, flipping often, or until lightly charred and the corn kernels are golden in color.

Skewer the Corn. Cool the corn slightly, pierce the ends with a wooden skewer (if desired for easier eating).

Grilling corn to make Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Lime Juice. Rub each with fresh lime juice, squeezing out the juice as you go.

Mayonnaise. Slather each ear with mayonnaise. Be sure to get them nicely coated to help the spices and cheese stick.

Juicing grilled corn with lime and slathering with mayo to make Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Seasonings. Sprinkle each ear of corn with seasonings.

Cover with Cheese. Roll the corn in crumbly white cheese.

Spicing grilled corn and covering with cheese to make Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Serve Them Up! Sprinkle on chopped cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

Boom! Done! Your Mexican street corn is ready to serve. Elotes, my friends! Easy enough to make, isn't it? Serve it as a flavorful side dish, or make an extra batch and serve it as your main.

Elotes on a serving platter with lots of cheese and herbs

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Heat Factor. Mild. You can easily spice things up with hotter chili powder or spicy chili flakes, though elote is not typically a "hot" recipe. Big flavor, though!
  • Cooking the Corn on the Cob. I love to grill my corn for this recipe, but you can cook it your preferred way. Some recipes call for simply boiling the corn, but grilled Mexican street corn is my personal favorite.
  • Lighter Version. For a lighter version of this recipe, use a mixture of mayonnaise and Mexican crema or sour cream instead of full mayo.
  • Elotes Salad. Try my Elotes Salad Recipe, which is a Mexican corn salad version of elotes. It's so easy to make, with either fresh or frozen corn, and perfect for parties and barbecues.

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover elote in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The corn will last 3-4 days, though the cheese may get a bit mushy. You can heat it back up on the grill to enjoy again.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this elotes recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you love Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended. I used these books to adapt this elote recipe.

  • Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
  • Authentic Mexican, by Rick Bayless (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try These Other Great Side Dish Recipes

  • Cajun Corn Maque Choux
  • Grilled Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers
  • Grilled Corn Salad with Feta and Peppers
  • Charred Corn Salad with Hatch Peppers
  • Mexican Corn Dip
  • Jerk Rubbed Grilled Corn on the Cob
  • Roasted Corn-Habanero Salsa
  • Calabacitas
  • Mexican Rice
  • Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Elotes on a serving platter with lots of garnish

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Elotes Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)
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Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

Elote (Mexican street corn) is a popular Mexican street food of grilled corn on the cob slathered with mayo, lime juice, spices and crumbly white cheese.
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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chili powder, corn on the cob, mayonnaise, spicy
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 322kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 4
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5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients

  • 4 ears corn on the cob shucked
  • 1 large lime sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon ancho powder
  • 1 teaspoon guajillo powder or use your favorite chili powder blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup crumbly white cheese use Cotija, queso fresco, feta cheese, or similar
  • For Serving. Fresh chopped cilantro hot sauce, spicy red chili flakes.

Instructions

  • Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the corn for 10 minutes, flipping often, or until lightly charred and golden in color.
  • Cool the corn slightly, pierce the ends with a wooden skewer (if desired for easier eating).
  • Rub each with fresh lime juice, squeezing out the juice as you go.
  • Slather each ear with mayonnaise, then sprinkle with seasonings.
  • Roll the corn in crumbly white cheese.
  • Sprinkle on chopped cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 322kcal   Carbohydrates: 20g   Protein: 6g   Fat: 26g   Saturated Fat: 6g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g   Monounsaturated Fat: 6g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 22mg   Sodium: 323mg   Potassium: 309mg   Fiber: 3g   Sugar: 7g   Vitamin A: 614IU   Vitamin C: 11mg   Calcium: 99mg   Iron: 1mg
Elotes Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Ramya says

    August 30, 2024 at 8:28 am

    Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had elote before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 30, 2024 at 8:51 am

      Enjoy, Ramya.

      Reply
  2. Robert says

    May 08, 2022 at 2:33 am

    5 stars
    These look great. Another one I'll be sitting on until our corn is in season, but I'll make you Elote salad with our canned corn to carry us until then. It'll be another three weeks before we can plant it here. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 08, 2022 at 8:43 am

      Thanks, Robert! Enjoy!!

      Reply
  3. Tom Craig says

    May 02, 2022 at 12:38 pm

    What happened to the snazzy print program? Can't wait to do the Mexican corn dip recipe!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 04, 2022 at 6:32 am

      Tom, I upgraded our site design as the previous one was quite old and needed a touch up. Sorry if it caused any printing issues. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

      Reply

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