Easy Mexican Street Corn

This easy Mexican street corn recipe is sweet cobs of corn topped with a creamy and cheesy sauce with delicious Mexican spices. It's easy to make Elote at home and it's the perfect side dish to serve with your favorite Mexican-inspired meal.

When corn is in season, we enjoy it with lots of dinners. Sweet corn slathered in butter is tasty but when I want to make something special, we go for this Easy Mexican Street Corn. Also known as Elote, this flavorful corn is savory, sweet, salty and a little spicy all in one.

Mexican street corn is typically made with whole corn on the cob. Boiling the corn makes this easy to prepare any time of the year. You can also grill the corn making this an ideal summertime side dish.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations/Substitutions
• Storage
• Mexican Corn Recipe Cooking Tips
• FAQ
• Serving Suggestions
• RECIPE

Ingredients

• Fresh Corn – use 4 ears of corn with the husk and silk removed.
• Mexican crema – Crema is similar to sour cream but is thicker, richer and less tangy. You can substitute sour cream if you can't find crema.
• Mayonnaise – Use your favorite brand of mayo. Substituting miracle whip is not recommended.
• Lime Juice – Use the juice of one fresh lime.
• Cotija Cheese – Cotija is a salty, mild and crumbly Mexican cheese. You can also use feta cheese, queso fresco or parmesan cheese.
• Tajin seasoning – Tajin is a chili lime seasoning. You can also use chili lime seasoning from Trader Joe's or simple chili powder.
• Fresh Cilantro – Fresh chopped cilantro adds a bright flavor and pop of color. If you aren't a fan of cilantro you can garnish with chopped green onions or even red onion.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Hint: After boiling the corn, be sure to drain it well and let it set for a few minutes to cool slightly before topping with the crema mixture. You can also boil corn in milk to make it extra sweet and tender.

Variations/Substitutions

• More Seasoning - The tajin seasoning is a yummy, salty chili lime seasoning with just a hint of spice. If you can't find tajin you can use chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne for some heat. You can also add a bit of lime zest to really bring out the citrus flavor.
• Use Sour Cream - Mexican crema is getting easier to find in most stores but you can always substitute sour cream in a pinch.
• Skillet Mexican Street Corn - If you prefer skillet corn, heat 3 cups of frozen or drained canned corn kernels in a hot skillet with melted butter or olive oil until golden. Stir in the crema, and top with cheese and seasoning before serving. This can be served like a dip with tortilla chips. 
• Make Mexican Corn Salad – A fun twist on this recipe is my tasty Cumin Rubbed Steak Kabobs with Easy Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe. It's one of my favorite summer combinations  and a family favorite to make at outdoor parties and barbecues during the summer months.

Storage

This corn can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be difficult to reheat so I prefer to make only what we can eat in a single setting.

Freezing the leftover elote corn is not recommended.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

Easy Mexican street corn is a perfect side dish to serve for taco night or with Mini Taco Bowls and all your favorite Mexican dishes. I especially like it next to some Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa. It's also yummy served with dishes like Air Fryer Panko Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Cajun Salmon, and Roasted Pork Tenderloin.

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RECIPE

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