Description
Mexican street corn, also known as elote, is a popular snack. Grilled or boiled corn on the cob is slathered with a creamy, tangy sauce. This recipe brings the authentic flavors of Mexico to your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If you do not have a grill, you can boil the corn. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the husked corn and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
- Brush the corn with melted butter. Place the corn directly on the grill grates. Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the kernels are slightly charred and tender.
- While the corn cooks, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, and smoked paprika (if using). Stir until well combined. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you prefer a spicier sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
- Once the corn is grilled or boiled, carefully remove it from the heat.
- Generously slather each ear of corn with the prepared sauce. You can use a brush or a spoon to coat the corn evenly.
- Sprinkle with additional crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and a dusting of chili powder.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for an extra squeeze of freshness.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- If cotija cheese is unavailable, you can substitute with crumbled feta cheese or grated Parmesan cheese for a similar salty flavor.
- To make this recipe easier to eat, you can cut the kernels off the cob after grilling and mix them with the sauce in a bowl to create esquites, or Mexican street corn salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Method: Grilling or Boiling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ear of corn
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 30mg