Mexican Street Corn – Elote [+ Video]

Experience the bold flavors of Mexico with this irresistible Mexican Street Corn recipe! Known as elote in Mexico, this sweet, tender corn is slathered in tangy Mexican crema, then topped with crumbled cotija cheese, fresh lime juice, a hint of chili powder, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It’s the perfect balance of smoky, spicy, and savory in every bite!

Elote or Mexican street corn is grilled corn on the cob lathered in creamy, cheesy goodness that is so irresistible! If you’ve never had it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

This is not the typical mayonnaise and butter Mexican street corn that is found all over the web these days. This Elote is so delicious, you will forget about any other Mexican Street Corn recipe you have ever tried. Trust me!

What is Elote?

Elote, which which means “corn cob” in Spanish, is a street food you’ll find in certain parts of Mexican. It consists of grilled corn on the cob covered in mayo, cheese, and chili powder. It’s usually eaten right off the cob. 

I’m finding myself dreaming about our trip to Mexico and all the delicious food we ate while we were there! The elote was to die for! I seriously could have eaten it at every meal! And it’s so easy to make right at home.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Mexican Street Corn:

I’ve mentioned most of the ingredients you will need for this dish, but let’s look into them a little closer. Many of them might be out of your comfort zone, but no need to worry! I know that trying ingredients from other countries, especially if you don’t really cook, can seem a bit too adventurous, but I promise that these six ingredients are essential to the best elote you’ll ever have!

1. Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob
2. Mexican Crema
3. Cotija Cheese
4. Chili Powder or Smoked Paprika
5. Limes
6. Cilantro

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Make Mexican Street Corn – Elote

Let’s start with the corn, of course! Head on over to our post on the best grilled corn recipe where we share all our secrets for the making perfect grilled corn every time. We also discuss how to pick good corn on the cob at the grocery store in that post. Follow everything in that post except for adding the salt and sugar at the end. You don’t need to add salt to this corn because the cotija is going to add all the saltiness you need.

How to Season Elote

The classic seasoning for elote is chili powder, but we have also found that we love it with smoked paprika.

Mexican Street Corn Soup

A delicious twist on our classic Elote (Mexican Street Corn) recipe, this soup is full of flavor and a quick and easy soup for dinner. A creamy broth packed with sweet corn, roasted chicken and a subtle hint of spices for flavor, this chicken and corn soup is sure to win over friends and family!

I don’t remember the first time I enjoyed Elote, but I want to say it was in Rexburg, Idaho at a little farmer’s market. I never went to school during the summer so I never enjoyed all the yummy food that comes from summer fruits and veggies there. It took my parents moving from Vancouver, Washington to Idaho for me to finally enjoy this tasty recipe that’s a staple in Mexico.

Now that I’ve had it, I cannot get enough. From the classic Elote recipe, to Mexican Street Corn Salad, and even a fun Elote Mexican Street Corn Pasta salad the possibilities are endless. Oh and let’s not forget our slow cooker Mexican street corn dip! Y’all know I love a good dip!!

What is Elote?

Well, first let’s address the question, how do you pronounce elote? It is super easy! You start the word just as if you were starting the word “eloquent” except drop the “quent” and replace it with “tay”. Elo-tay. Now you’ve got it!

Elote, often called Mexican street corn, is grilled corn on the cob smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and fresh lime.

Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn Soup

We are going to take all those classic elote flavors and add a few ingredients to it to make a fantastic corn soup! We add a few more vegetables for more depth of flavor and chicken to make it a little more hearty. Here is what you will need:

• Butter: used for sautéing all the veggies
• Vegetables: Yellow Onion, Celery, Garlic, Pasilla Pepper and Corn
• Seasonings: Chili Powder, Kosher Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper
• Soup Base: Chicken Broth, Heavy Cream, Mexican Crema
• Chicken Breasts: you can grab a rotisserie or if you want to cook your own, try our sticky Mexican chicken recipe
• Cotija Cheese: found in the refrigerated section with the other cheeses or sometimes in the section of Mexican specialty foods

NOTE: If you want to keep it vegetarian, skip the chicken and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below.

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Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Dip

This Mexican street corn dip is the perfect blend of spicy, tangy and savory flavors. It so fun and easy to make at home!

Recommended Equipment

• Slow Cooker: The perfect size and shape for a dip!

Before You Begin…

If you’re roasting your own corn, then get those cobs out on the grill and get those tasty grill marks on the corn!

What is in Mexican Street Corn Dip?

I can’t stop eating this hot street corn dip! It’s so tasty and it comes together so quickly. Here is what you will need:

• Base: Plain Yogurt, Mayo, Lime Juice, White Vinegar
• Cheeses: Cotija Cheese and Mexican Shredded Cheese
• Add-ins: Diced Green Chiles, Fire Roasted Corn, Green Onions, Chorizo
• Seasonings: Chili Powder, Cayenne, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Can I Use Frozen or Canned Corn?

Yes, either one will work, but nothing will have the fresh delicious flavor of corn on the cob. If you need to use frozen corn, make sure to let it thaw and dry any excess water. Canned corn needs to be drained thoroughly. You can roast canned or frozen corn to get that charred smoky flavor in the oven or on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.

Why is it Called Street Corn?

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is a common street food that you can find in Mexico. It is grilled corn on the cob that is then lathered in mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder and cotija cheese.

Variations for Street Corn Dip

There are all sorts of things you could do to change things up on this dip recipe depending on your favorite flavors.

Additions: diced jalapenos, chopped cilantro, black beans (drained and rinsed), bacon crumbles, avocado, tajin seasoning

Substitutions: swap sour cream for the plain yogurt, or add pepper jack cheese instead of the Mexican shredded cheese (either all or part of it)

Removals: you can totally eliminate the chorizo

You can also go totally crazy and eat this dip cold. Just mix everything together and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.

How to Eat Mexican Corn Dip

You all know that I am obsessed with dips of all shapes, sizes and flavors! I’m honestly not picky when it comes to what vessel is going to transport this dip to my mouth, but here are some ideas:

• Tortilla chips
• Baguette slic