Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)
The best elote recipe (aka Mexican street corn) made from corn on the cob slathered in mayo, cotija cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime.
Servings: 4 elotes
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, husked
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ medium lime)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, divided (or chili powder)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender and bright yellow. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne in a small bowl.
- Using a brush or spoon, coat all sides of the corn with melted butter, then generously slather each corn with the mayonnaise mixture.
- Sprinkle each ear generously with cotija cheese, the remaining cayenne pepper, and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Cotija cheese: This is a must in any authentic elote recipe, but if you absolutely can’t find any near you, you can use crumbled feta.
- Cilantro: If you’re not a fan, you can use parsley or omit it altogether.
- Spice level: Cayenne pepper will add a delicious spice to the elotes. If you don’t want it too spicy, you can use the typical chili powder found in most grocery stores. If you want to use the traditional chile that’s used in Mexico for elotes, try ground chile piquin.
- Esquites: If you prefer corn cut from the cob, try making esquites instead, which is Mexican street corn served in a cup.
- Grilled corn: Grilling the corn instead of boiling it adds a delicious flavor to the elotes. To grill, brush each ear of corn with vegetable oil, then grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until it’s cooked through and charred in some spots.
- Storage: I recommend storing the corn, mayo sauce, and toppings in separate containers and refrigerating for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Heat the corn in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until steaming, or you can brush with oil and grill on high for 2-3 minutes until warmed and charred, then slather in the mayo sauce and add the toppings when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1elote | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg