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Easy Mexican Street Style Corn Recipe (Elote)

Easy Mexican Street Style Corn

Grilled corn is coated in a creamy garlic-chile sauce, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and fresh lime for a classic Mexican elote-style side dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 ears Fresh corn, husked
Creamy Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 clove Small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Smoked paprika or ground ancho chile, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
Toppings
  • 1/2 cup Finely crumbled Cotija cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime Lime, cut into wedges
For Grilling
  • 1 tablespoon Butter or neutral oil, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Mix the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, garlic, chili powder, optional smoked paprika or ancho chile, and kosher salt in a small bowl.
  2. Heat a grill to medium-high, approximately 400-450°F. Lightly coat the husked corn with butter or neutral oil if desired.
  3. Grill the corn for 8-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, until the kernels are tender and visibly charred in spots.
  4. While the corn is still hot, brush each ear generously with the mayonnaise-crema mixture so the sauce clings to the warm kernels.
  5. Roll or sprinkle the corn with Cotija cheese, then add cilantro and an extra dusting of chili powder. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Notes

Use sour cream mixed with 1-2 teaspoons lime juice if Mexican crema is unavailable. Feta may replace Cotija, and Tajín or cayenne may replace the chili powder. For extra heat, add a small amount of finely minced jalapeño. Do not overcook the corn, because excessive grilling can make the kernels dry and tough.