Do I have to use mayo?

Listen, mayo is the magic glue that makes everything stick and taste awesome. But if you’re mayo-averse (we see you), you can swap in sour cream, Mexican crema, or even Greek yogurt. Just don’t skip the creamy part—you need it for the full messy experience.

Can I use frozen or canned corn?

Fresh corn is the GOAT, but we’re not here to judge. If frozen or canned is all you’ve got, make it work. Just thaw (or drain) it first, and try to get some char on it pan-fry or broil until it gets those little burnt bits. Check out this pasta salad recipe that can be used if you have only canned corn.

What if I don’t have cotija cheese?

No cotija? No meltdown necessary. Crumbled feta works great in a pinch—salty, crumbly, and just funky enough. Parmesan or queso fresco can also step in. The key is salty, tangy vibes. You’ve got options.

Elotes (Mexican Street Corn) - Eating The Kitchen

Name: Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 corn on the cobs; 1/3 cup of Mexican crema; 1/3 cup of mayonnaise; 2 limes; 1/2 teaspoon Ancho Chile powder; 1/3 cup Cotija cheese; handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Description

This is corn but let's make it a party. Grilled until slightly blistered and charred, then slathered with Mexican crema, mayo, dusted with Cotija cheese, sprinkled with chili powder, and finished with lime and cilantro—elotes are bold, messy, and ridiculously good. No special skills needed, just a love for flavor and a willingness to get a little messy.

Ingredients

Scale

4 corn on the cobs

1/3 cup of Mexican crema

1/3 cup of mayonnaise

2 limes

1/2 teaspoon Ancho Chile powder (affiliate link)

1/3 cup Cotija cheese

handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Now is the time to pull back the corn husks and remove the "hairs" from the corn. You can also remove the husk at this time.
Chop fresh Cilantro and set aside
Pre heat your grill on a low-med setting (if it is on high it will burn). Place your corn on the hot grill.
Cook corn until it has a light charred look on some of the kernels. They will get blistered and some of the kernels will get a little wrinkled. When it has cooked for about 10 minutes or so it will be time to remove the corn and let them cool down a bit.
Now is a great time to prepare the slather mixture. Combine the mayonnaise, Mexican crema and juice of 1 lime in a bowl.
Once the corn has a cooled a little and can be handled safely slather the mixture on the corn. Be generous (it's going to get messy). This is the "glue" that holds the cheeses to the Elote (corn).
Now for the fun part... Sprinkle the Cotija cheese on the corn cob then dust with the Ancho Chile powder (affiliate link) and finish with a generous squeeze of lime.
Enjoy and repeat!

Equipment

12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Buy Now →

Cast Iron Scrubber

Buy Now →

(affiliate link)

Notes

Remember you can make this recipe a ton of different ways, have fun and experiment, make it your own.

You can use just mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, regular Chile powder if you don't have the crema, cojita cheese and Ancho powder.

You don't have to have a grill to make this recipe you can roast the corn in the oven at 400 degrees or if you want to use the broiler on low and turn often. Be sure to watch closely as it can burn easily. You can also use a cast iron pan to char the corn. Bottom line it is pretty simple, Heat corn, slather wet mixture, coat with cheese, chile powder, cilantro and lime.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: sides
Method: grill
Cuisine: Mexican