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Learn how to make Mexican corn on the cob with this simple grilled corn side dish recipe! Elote corn is a tasty grilled Mexican street corn recipe made in 20 minutes.
We love grilling everything from appetizers to desserts. One of our favorite grilled side dishes is Mexican corn on the cob. We order Mexican street corn every single time we see it on the menu. Rather than waiting to order it out at a restaurant, we create our own recipe at home. This Mexican corn on the cob recipe is too good to resist. It’s easy to make in less and tastes delicious.
Elote Corn (Mexican corn) Ingredients
- Corn
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Butter
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
How to Make Mexican Corn on the Cob
To make Mexican corn on the cob, preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates with oil and then grill corn, turning occasionally until cooked and lightly charred, about 10 to 12 minutes.
While the corn is cooking, mix together the sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Melt the butter in a separate bowl. Then, combine the chili powder and cayenne pepper in another small bowl. Set all three bowls aside.
Remove the corn from the grill and brush with the melted butter. Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of each corn. Sprinkle with the cheese and chili mixture. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and then serve with lime wedges on the side.
Cooking without a grill: Instead of grilling, you can roast the corn in the oven. Bake the corn in the oven for 35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the mayo sauce mixture. Once the corn is done baking, spread the mayo mixture over the husks, sprinkle with chili and cheese and enjoy.
What is Elote and how is it served?
Elote is Mexican street corn or corn on the cob grilled and topped with salt, chili powder, butter, cotija cheese, lime juice, mayonnaise and sour cream. Serve it with other grilled dishes or summer meals. It’s a great addition to a summer barbecue or even as a side for tacos.
You can easily adapt the recipe to fit your taste. If you like it spicy, add an additional dash of cayenne pepper. If you like it cheesier, add more cheese. Adapt this easy grilled corn on the cob recipe to fit everyone’s taste!
What is Cotija cheese used for?
Cotija cheese enhances the flavor of dishes. It’s a salty, firm and flavorful cheese that doesn’t melt. Use it as a topping for salads, soups, tacos, chili and side dishes like this Mexican street corn.
Where to Buy the Ingredients
Cotija cheese is available in the cheese section of most grocery stores. Use queso fresco if you can’t find cotija cheese. If you can’t find either the cotija cheese or the queso fresco, use feta cheese to add flavor.
Have you made Mexican corn on the cob at home? It’s always tasty and easy. It’s the perfect side dish to a summer barbecue. Try this elote recipe and let us know what you think!
What to Eat with Elote Corn
- Grilled Lobster Tail
- Barbacoa Beef Tacos
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken with Tomato and Avocado Salsa
- Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken
- BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ddi you make this Mexican Corn on the Cob recipe? Leave a recipe rating and review below.
Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, husked
- 3 tablespoons sour cream, (or Greek yogurt or Mexican crema)
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese, or queso fresco crumbled
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill grate with oil.
- Grill corn, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes.
- While corn is cooking, mix sour cream and mayonnaise together in a small bowl until well combined. Place butter in a separate bowl and melt. In another small bowl combine chili powder and cayenne pepper. Set all three bowls aside.
- Remove from the grill and immediately brush with melted butter, then spread each evenly with the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and chili mixture. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- If you have leftovers, remove the corn kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco is available in the cheese section of most grocery stores. Feta cheese can be used as a last resort if you can’t find cotija or queso fresco
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This corn on the cob was delicious! Can’t wait to make it again!
This is a great recipe for corn on the cob! Can’t wait to make it all the time this summer!
This has become one of my favorite ways to eat corn! Love this recipe!
I would eat this all year long! Such a great side dish and so delicious!
We’d been eating so much steamed corn on the cob this summer that this yummy recipe was perfect for getting us out of our rut. It was so tasty and we’ll be making it a lot next summer, too.
We had a ton of corn on the cob frozen from this summers garden and I was dying for new recipes to try! This one was great. Everyone loved it! Will definitely be making it again.
This was incredible! Can’t stop thinking about it!
Corn on the cob is probably one of my most favorite side dishes so I know this jazzed up version is going to be a huge hit!
This Elote corn is one of my favorite side dishes! Its so perfect to pair with Tacos and my family always loves it!!
This is my absolute favorite summer side dish! I used to wait anxiously all year for the street vendors to come out so I could buy some, until I learned to make it on my own at home. There’s seriously nothing like it, it’s sooo good.