Esquites, or Mexican Street Corn Cups, are an all-time favorite snack sold by street food vendors all over Mexico! Made with only a handful of inexpensive ingredients, each spoonful of esquites is filled with a creamy, salty, tangy and slightly spicy bite that’s addicting and will keep you coming back for more.
What are Esquites?
Esquites are a popular Mexican snack made from corn mixed with creamy mayonesa (mayonnaise), freshly crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, lime juice, and chili powder.
It’s commonly sold by street vendors in Mexico and is served in a large cup with a spoon to mix all the delicious ingredients together!
There are different variations of esquites depending on which street vendor you go to – some versions include a broth, others use grilled corn and some have diced chiles and cilantro as optional ingredients.
All the versions are delicious
What’s the difference between Esquites and Elotes?
If you love Elotes (Mexican Street Corn), then you’re going to love esquites! Why? Because they’re practically the same thing – except in a cup and much easier to eat!
Esquites is Mexican street corn served off the cob and in a cup, whereas elotes is Mexican street corn served on the cob.
How to Make Esquites
Making esquites is very easy and only requires about 5 minutes of actual cook time!
First, cook the fresh corn kernels in a skillet with butter and garlic for 5 minutes. This will bring out some of the sweetness from the corn, as well as give it a little char to add a smoky element.
Then, mix it together in a bowl with mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime juice, cilantro, diced jalapenos, and salt.
Esquites is typically served hot, so I recommend serving immediately. Then top each serving with chili powder to taste, more cotija cheese and a lime wedge.
Tips and Variations
- To give the esquites a delicious smoky flavor, grill the corn on the cob first. Then, slice the kernels off and add all the mix-ins.
- The amount of chili powder you use is entirely up to you. When you buy esquites from a street food vendor, the chili powder is usually in a little jar on the side of their cart and you have to season it to your liking. So when you make it at home, I recommend sprinkling a good amount of chili powder on your serving, mixing it all together, tasting it and then adding more until you think it’s just right.
- If you want to make your esquites spicy, leave in the seeds of the jalapeno. You could also use serrano peppers instead for even more heat.
- Don’t like cilantro? You can omit it completely and it will still be delicious!
Esquites are best served hot, but you can eat them cold as well! I’ve eaten leftovers cold with tortilla chips (like a dip) and they were delicious!
If you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob (about 4 med ears of corn)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- juice of 1 lime
- chili powder, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, fresh corn kernels, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, cotija cheese, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Mix until fully combined. Taste and season with more salt and mayonnaise if desired.
- Garnish with chili powder to your liking, a lime wedge, and a sprinkle cotija cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Isabel’s Tips
- To give the esquites a delicious smoky flavor, grill the corn on the cob first. Then, slice the kernels off and add all the mix-ins.
- The amount of chili powder you use is entirely up to you. When you buy esquites from a street food vendor, the chili powder is usually in a little jar on the side of their cart and you have to season it to your liking. So when you make it at home, I recommend sprinkling a good amount of chili powder on your serving, mixing it all together, tasting it and then adding more until you think it’s just right.
- If you want to make your esquites spicy, leave in the seeds of the jalapeno. You could also use serrano peppers instead for even more heat.
- Don’t like cilantro? You can omit it completely and it will still be delicious!
Lisa says
This recipe was fabulous! I did not have Cotila cheese so I had to use feta and it still was delicious. Thank you !!
DC says
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved it! I made a couple small changes, I only used 2T of mayo as I’m not a mayo fan. I roasted the corn yesterday and cut it off the cob and then today I sautéed the garlic in 2T of butter and then added the corn to heat up and then the rest of the ingredients. I didn’t have the Cojita cheese but had Queso Fresca So I used it instead and it still turned out great. Thanks for the great recipe!
Isabel says
I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks for letting me know!
Susan says
Made it, loved it. Saved it!
I used 4 garlic cloves pf garlic and less mayo . My husband said it could be spicier. Maybe 2 jalapeños next time.
Isabel says
I’m so happy you loved the recipe! Esquites is definitely one of those recipes that is very customizable, and everyone has their favorite way of seasoning it. It’s funny that you mention you’ll use less mayo next time, because I actually prefer it with even more mayo! 🙂 Thanks so much for reading the blog and for trying my recipe! I really appreciate it!
Alexander says
Omg! Just made your recipe and am floored! As good as any street vendor! Well better because this way I can eat as much as I want, 1 cup is never enough! Haha! Thank your for sharing this!
Isabel says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you liked it! That’s some really great praise 🙂