Elotes (Grilled Mexican Street Corn) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Mexican street corn made of? ›

What Is Street Corn. Also referred to as Mexican elote, Mexican food corn, street corn, or Mexicorn on the cob, essentially it is corn on the cob smothered with a sauce made by using a mayo-sour cream mixture and sprinkling it with cotija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

What Is Elote? 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.

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.

Also called Mexican street corn, elote is a Mexican preparation of corn on the cob. The ears of corn are grilled, then slathered with mayo or crema, and finally topped with lime, chile, and Mexican cheese such as Cotija. Commonly sold by street vendors in Mexico, elote makes a great snack.

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.

The most authentic way is to boil some corn, slather on mayonnaise and lime juice, then cover in cotija cheese and chile powder. Hot sauce is optional and I usually see Valentina or Tapatio.

Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán.

Chili Powder: You can use Tajin, chipotle chili powder, ancho chili powder or even a dash of cayenne pepper if you'd like. Keep in mind that cayenne will had quite the kick so you may want to go easy on it. You can also use mild chili powder.

Tajin seasoning: Tajin is a mild chili powder with a bright lime flavor that tastes great on Elote. Or, try regular chili powder, ancho chile powder, paprika, or even cayenne pepper (if you love the heat).

Elote can be prepared using a pre-made spice mix called Tajín seasoning, which includes ground red chiles, sea salt, and dehydrated lime juice. This recipe calls for chili powder, but by all means, if you have Tajín, use it. Just cut back on the salt, as it's already in the blend.

Do you use tajin for elotes? ›

It's easy to get the taste of authentic elote at home with a few simple ingredients! Grill or roast ears of corn on the cob, then slather them with mayonnaise and sour cream or Mexican crema. Top them to your heart's desire with cotija, Tajin, and cilantro.

Mayo does everything butter does for corn, but it has a lot more staying power. Both bring some fatty elements that are great for making corn extra flavorful and rich, but mayo has a deeper taste that adds more complexity than butter.

Grill the sweet corn, if you can, because the charred kernels seem closer in texture to the elotes I've bought in Mexico. Mayonnaise: Some elote recipes call for sour cream instead of mayonnaise, or a half-and-half mix of both.

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.

That would be the Mexican version of corn on the cob. The corn is grilled and then slathered with Crema, Mexican cheese, chili powder and lime. (I prefer to cut corn off of cob before adding ingredients mentioned above.)

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.

Parmesan. Parmesan cheese is a great alternative for cotija. It is prepared from raw cows' milk, has a salty flavor, and a crumbly but hard texture that makes it a perfect substitute. Look for vegetarian versions since they're often made with animal rennet if unspecified!