Slightly charred and full of flavor, this elote corn is grilled and topped with fresh lime juice and crumbled Cotija cheese. It's easy to make and is the perfect side dish for any backyard cookout!
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Elote (pronounced eh-loh-tay) is Mexican street corn on the cob that has been covered in sweet, smoky, and salty seasonings and then is grilled to perfection. Elote corn, also called Elote Mexicano, is out of this world delicious, but when you add spices, crumbled Cotija cheese, and fresh squeezed lime juice it takes things to a whole new level!
Also known as Mexican corn on the cob or elote Mexican corn, it has become a very popular side dish because it's so easy to make. Traditionally served on a wooden skewer, you'll often see it served at fairs and backyard BBQs. It's also the most popular street food in Mexico! So the next time you're craving corn as a side dish, spice things up a bit with this Elote Mexicano!
Ingredients You'll Need
When it comes to corn on the cob, fresh is best. Fresh corn is very sweet and juicy. It can be found at your local grocery store, but if you can get it from a farmer's market or from a friend's garden you will taste the freshness in every bite! I'm talking so good!! It's best pulled directly from the husk, but you can buy it pre-packaged in the produce section to save time.
Mexican grilled corn has the best spice combination. The chili powder and smoked paprika are the key flavors when it comes to elote seasoning. I also add melted butter, Cotija cheese, and a little bit of fresh squeezed lime juice (hello zesty!)...which really puts the flavor over the top. You can also add mayonnaise to this Elote Mexicano.
Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese that is white in color, has a grainy texture, and a salty flavor. You can typically find Cotija in your local grocery store. But if it's not available or if you're looking for a Cotija cheese substitute, try using queso fresco or Pecorino Romano.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
I'm going to show you step-by-step how to make elote corn. My method differs slightly from the traditional Mexican elote recipe, but it allows for a lot of flexibility and added flavor. Most Mexican corn recipes start with grilling it first and then dipping the grilled corn on the cob into the seasonings and the mayonnaise. When using that method, the corn tend to taste too saturated and a bit overwhelming...and not in a good way. I take the opposite approach and season each cob first and then grill.
Start by mixing the dry ingredients into a small bowl. Take the Cotija cheese, melted butter, and lime juice and put them into their own bowls or ramekins. From there, shuck the corn and rinse each piece to get rid of the silk. Set aside.
Use a basting brush to baste melted butter on all sides of each piece.
Generously sprinkle each side of the corn with the chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and ground pepper.
Using a basting brush, lather on another layer of melted butter, as well as some fresh lime juice.
Place each cob on a medium-high heated gas grill and cook for about 15 minutes or until the kernels start to turn a light brown color. Ensure you turn the corn on each side so it chars evenly. This is when the Maillard reaction occurs. This is a reaction between sugars and proteins that occurs upon heating which produces browning on the kernals.
When done, take the basting brush and baste additional lime juice onto each piece, along with more melted butter. Sprinkle on more cheese and let it grill for 2-3 more minutes until it starts to melt.
Remove each cob from the grill and top with additional crumbled Cotija cheese. If you want to add mayonnaise or sour cream, baste on a thin layer with a basting brush and then sprinkle on additional cheese.
Serve while it is still hot. This grilled sweet Elote Mexicano pairs perfectly with these perfectly grilled steak kabobs in an Italian marinade or this fajita stuffed steak filled with veggies and melted pepper jack cheese. Oh... and I love topping elote with fresh chopped cilantro!
Additional Variations
My prefered method is to add on the butter and seasonings before I grill the the cobs, but you can also grill the corn first and add the seasonings after. Mayonnaise is amazing on this recipe but so is chipotle mayo, sour cream, or ranch dressing.
Have you heard of elote in a cup? It's exactly what it sounds like...corn in a cup. After you remove the corn from the grill, cut the kernels off the cob and place it in a large bowl. Add in the Mexican corn on the cob seasoning, Cotija cheese, mayo, and lime juice. Stir until all ingredients are well combined and then serve it in a cup! It's a fun way to eat elotte!
If you don't have a grill, you can boil the cobs on the stove top. To do this, fill a large pot with water, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and then bring it to a boil. Add in the corn and allow to boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove each piece from the boiling water and lather on the butter and mayonnaise (optional). Sprinkle on the seasoning and cheese and enjoy!
You can also roast it in the oven. Baste on a bit of melted butter and then wrap each cob in a piece of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped corn on a cookie sheet and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add additional butter, seasonings, and mayo.
Making Mexican street corn is also easy. Mexican street corn off the cob can be prepared either on the stove, grill, or oven. Since the kernels are already charred and hot, cut the corn from the cobs and put in a large bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, fresh lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, red onion, cumin, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and then add the contents to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute for 3-5 minutes until hot and the cheese has completely melted.
How To Use Leftover Elote
If you have leftover elote, don't let it go to waste! There are a lot of ways you can use it! One of my favorite ways to use leftover elote is in this amazingly delicious enchilada casserole. It's also tasty in these curry enchiladas. Instead of using canned or frozen corn, add in the elote! We're talking amazing flavor! It can also be a great side dish for flank steak.
And tacos!! Leftover elote is amazing served in these shredded chicken tacos with slaw or with these crockpot salsa chicken tacos. It's also a great topper for a chicken burrito bowl paired with a side of heart healthy guacamole. And when I substitute the canned corn with leftover elote in this comforting Mexican chicken casserole, the flavor meter goes crazy!
Try adding it to your cornbread batter before baking. You'll love how it tastes! It's also really good served over grilled chicken or as a salad topper. One of my favorite ways to enjoy Elote Mexicano is with tortilla chips. I love eating it as a dip! There are so many ways to enjoy leftovers elotte!
Frequently Asked Questions
In Spanish, "elote" literally means corn. The word "elote" evolved from the word "elotitutl" which translates to "tender cob." Most elote recipes you'll find contain chili powder, smoked paprika, butter, lime, and Cotija cheese. While American “grilled corn” traditionally means grilled corn with butter and salt, Mexican corn on the cob is synonymous with grilled corn, enveloped in mayonnaise and Mexican crema with cilantro, lime, and chili powder and then rolled in Cotija cheese.
It's good for 3-5 days.
Wrap each cob individually in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator.
Yes! The quickest and easiest way is to wrap the cob in a damp paper towel and warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add an additional 10 seconds until warm.
Expert Tips
- Fresh corn is the sweetest and juiciest if you use it within the first 1-2 days of purchase.
- When buying fresh corn, ensure it smells sweet. It should also be firm when lightly pressed and should also be free of black or brown spots.
- It will save you a lot of time and frustration if you prepare your stations before you start the basting and seasoning process. Set up a separate bowl for each ingredient (the spices can be combine in 1 bowl).
- You can easily remove the silk by running it under cold water and removing the silk with your hands. However, the best way to remove the silk is by using a silker brush.
- I've made this Mexican corn on the cob recipe on both my gas grill and on my Traeger. While it tastes amazing cooked on both, Traeger corn on the cob won't result in the same char you'll get from a gas or charcoal grill.
- If you want to spice things up a bit, mix ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper in with the dry ingredients.
- Some claim that the best way to grill corn is with the husk still attached. While this is a delicious grilling method, you won't be able to obtain that tasty char.
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Elote Corn (Mexican Street Corn)
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 6 ears corn on cob, husked and silked
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 cup mayonnaise, optional
Instructions
- Remove the husks and then rinse each piece of corn to get rid of all the silk from the cobs or use a silker brush. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter and set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, squeeze the juice of the limes and set aside.
- Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, mix well. Place in a separate small bowl.
- Crumble the Cotija cheese and place in a separate bowl. If you're using mayonnaise, place it in a separate bowl.
- Using a basting brush, baste the melted butter onto each cob on all sides.
- Generously sprinkle each cob with the dry seasoning.
- Place each piece on a grill and grill for about 15 minutes or until the kernels start to turn a light brown color. Lightly sprinkle on some cotija cheese and allow it to grill for 2-3 more minutes.
- When done, remove from the grill. Take the basting brush and baste on more of the lime juice onto each cob, along with a bit more melted butter and mayonnaise (optional).
- Top with additional cotija cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh corn is the sweetest and juiciest if you use it within the first 1-2 days of purchase.
- When buying fresh corn, ensure it smells sweet. It should also be firm when lightly pressed and should also be free of black or brown spots.
- It will save you a lot of time and frustration if you prepare your stations before you start the basting and seasoning process. Set up a separate bowl for each ingredient (the spices can be combine in 1 bowl).
- You can easily remove the silk by running it under cold water and removing the silk with your hands. However, the best way to remove the silk is by using a silker brush.
- I've made this on both my gas grill and on my Traeger. While it tastes amazing cooked on both, the Traeger version won't result in the same char you'll get from a gas or charcoal grill.
- If you want to spice things up a bit, mix ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper in with the dry ingredients.
- Some claim that the best way to grill it is with the husk still attached. While this is a delicious grilling method, you won't be able to obtain that tasty char.
TO ROAST CORN FOR ELOTE:
- Baste on a bit of melted butter and then wrap each cob in a piece of aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped corn on a cookie sheet and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add additional butter, seasonings, and mayo.
TO BOIL CORN FOR ELOTE:
- Fill a large pot with water, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and then bring it to a boil.
- Add in the corn cobs and allow to boil for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the cobs from the boiling water and lather on the butter and mayonnaise (optional).
- Sprinkle on the seasoning and cheese and enjoy!
TO MAKE ELOTE IN A CUP:
- After you remove the corn from the grill, cut the kernels off the cob and place it in a large bowl.
- Add in the seasoning, Cotija cheese, mayo, and lime juice.
- Stir until all ingredients are well combined and then serve it in a cup!
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2016, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures and tips in February 2022.
Nicole
I love everything about grilled corn. Having cojita cheese on top of grilled corn is an amazing bite.
Amanda Mason
I'm so glad you loved it!! Yes - the Cotija cheese is a great add!