This Mexican Street Corn Recipe (Elote) is made with fresh corn on the cob smothered with a creamy sauce and sprinkled with cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. It's quick and easy to make, and it makes an excellent side dish for a fun summer meal!
Looking for more delicious Mexican recipes that use fresh produce? Make my Pico de Gallo, Strawberry Agua Fresca, and Authentic Guacamole.
One of the simple joys of summer is all of the fresh produce, including corn on the cob! One of my favorite ways to enjoy corn on the cob is by slathering it with a bit of mayo and sour cream, followed by a topping of queso fresco, chili, and cilantro.
This is summer comfort food at its finest, and it makes the perfect side dish to a lot of Mexican-inspired recipes like my Creamy Chicken Quesadillas, my Easy Chicken Enchilada Recipe, and Instant Pot Sweet Pork Tacos.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Big flavor, minimal effort - Roasting the corn in the oven is an easy, hands-off method that still gives you that rich, creamy, tangy street corn flavor. It's the perfect method if you don't have a grill!
- Creamy and zesty - The combo of mayo, sour cream, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, and crumbly cheese is sure to make your taste buds happy!
- Perfect for summer BBQs - This easy recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. It's a fun twist on the usual buttered corn on the cob that makes a great side dish for grilled meats, tacos, or even burgers!
🛒 Ingredients
- Corn on the cob: Use fresh sweet corn picked in July-September (in the U.S.) for the best flavor and texture.
- Cojita cheese: A salty, creamy Mexican cheese that is essential for making elote!
- Smoked paprika: Adds a subtle smokiness that you don't get from regular paprika.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Cojita cheese: Queso fresco can also be used if you want a more mild and creamier cheese.
- Smoked paprika: If you prefer spicy, chili powder works great too!
- Mexican crema: Crema can be hard to find in some grocery stores, sour cream makes a good replacement.
🌽 How to Make This Mexican Street Corn Recipe
- Bake shucked ears of corn at 350F for 35-40 minutes.
- While corn is baking, stir together mayo, sour cream, and garlic powder.
- Broil the corn on high for 1-2 minutes, flip and broil the other side.
- Brush ears of corn with mayo mixture.
- Spoon cheese on ears of corn.
- Sprinkle with paprika.
- Top with lime juice and cilantro.
🌟Expert Tips
- Broil the corn: Since we are baking the corn instead of grilling, you can mimic the authentic street corn flavor by broiling the corn for a couple of minutes at the end to get a little caramelization and char.
- Take the time to crumble the cheese: Cotija or queso fresco can be a bit chunky right out of the package. Crumble it up finely to make it stick better and distribute the flavor better.
- Use a pastry brush or spoon: I recommend brushing or spooning the sauce onto the corn. This gives it better coverage than if you try to spread it on with a butter knife.
- Serve it immediately: Mexican street corn is best served hot and fresh, right after it's been slathered and sprinkled. If it sits for too long, the toppings tend to get soggy.
💭FAQs
I highly recommend enjoying Mexican street corn while it's fresh. But if you must, you can reheat it in the microwave. Simply place the corn cobs in a microwave-safe dish covered with plastic wrap. Microwave for 10-20 seconds or until warm.
Fully prepared elote can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I recommend enjoying it while it's fresh!
🌮 More Mexican-inspired Recipes to Try
📋 Recipe
Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Ingredients
- 4 cobs of corn shucked
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cojita cheese or queso fresco
- smoked paprika or chili powder
- cilantro for garnish
- lime juice for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place shucked corn on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While corn bakes, stir together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Optional: Once corn is baked, move it to the top oven rack and broil on high for 2-4 minutes, rotating to lightly char all sides. Watch closely so it doesn't burn!
- Remove corn cobs from the oven and using a pastry brush, brush the hot corn generously with the creamy sauce.
- Sprinkle the corn cobs with crumbled cojita cheese, smoked paprika, and chopped cilantro.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and serve immediately.
Notes
- Reheating: You can reheat leftover corn in the microwave. Simply place the corn cobs in a microwave-safe dish covered with plastic wrap. Microwave for 10-20 seconds or until warm.
- Storage: Fully prepared elote can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I recommend enjoying it while it's fresh!
Ashley Amundsen says
If you have a plethora of corn from your garden (or even if you grab some from the grocery store or farmer's market) this recipe is a must-make! It is SO easy to throw together and it takes corn on the cob to a whole new level. Everyone I've made this corn for absolutely loves it! Take it to your next summer BBQ, you won't regret it!