Mexican Street Corn | Elote Recipe

This is an incredibly easy and tasty Elote Recipe, also known as Mexican Corn on the Cob! This Mexican street corn is made with mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese (or queso fresco) and garlic.

This corn is bursting with flavor, quite literally. It’s slathered in mayonnaise and lime juice, which keep it so moist and juicy.

The mix of these salty, citrusy flavors when combined with the tang of cheese and mayo is just BEYOND! It’s an explosion in your mouth- don’t miss this side dish that’s perfect to go alongside so many of your favorite Mexican recipes.

Originally published January 2016, updated June 2, 2021.

When we moved to St. Louis, I was desperate to find great Mexican fare. I didn’t realize how spoiled we were in Kansas City in that department.

It took months of taste-testing to finally find a few Mexican restaurants we craved. That’s life in the ‘burbs. 

Thankfully I had a good line-up of some eternal favorites Tex-Mex dishes, including this Chicken Enchilada Recipe, Homemade Guacamole, and my favorite Homemade Margarita Mix.

We then attended the Taste of St. Louis food festival, which is exactly what I did. It was a fun way to experience a lot of restaurants, all in one afternoon. It’s such a great way to discover new flavors from all over town!

I stumbled across Mission Taco and indulged in their street corn – aka Mexican corn on the cob, or elote corn, and was overwhelmed with love! 

What is Elote?

Elote corn is commonly called Mexican Street Corn here in the US. It’s often roasted on a grill and drizzled with lime juice, cotija cheese, and coated with salt, mayonnaise or crema fresca.

It’s topped off with chopped cilantro and IT.IS.DELICIOUS.

Elote very simply translates to “corn cob”. You can see why this elote recipe is so popular – corn on the cob is easy to eat on the go. Especially if you put it on a stick!

While it is generally eaten on a stick, sometimes the husk of the corn cob itself is pulled down while cooking and forms a “handle” of sorts. It’s so much fun to eat!

Why You’ll Love this Elote Recipe

• Great Barbeque side dish
• Serves beautifully with Mexican inspired entrees, too
• So easy to make
• Bursting with sweet and salty summer flavor

Rather than drive 25 minutes to enjoy a little Mexican Street Corn, I’ve started making it at home and it’s always a hit.

Love to grill? Don’t skip these Grilled Baked Potatoes.

Mexican Corn on the Cob Ingredients

• Mayonnaise – I like to use an olive oil based mayo, but it’s also easy to make your own Homemade Mayonnaise.
• Lime juice – Fresh squeezed lime juice is always best, but if you have bottled lime juice on hand, that works too.
• Garlic – fresh minced garlic will give you the best flavor, but I like to take a shortcut and use the grocery store bottled minced garlic sometimes.
• Queso fresco or cotija cheese – You can use either type of cheese here, they are both very similar in that they are a salty, crumbly white cheese.
• Fresh ears of corn – the fresher the better, of course!
• Salt – I like to use big cracks of sea salt, but any kind of salt will do.
• Cilantro – optional, but always good for a touch of color and more flavor.

Take it up a notch (or 12) with this incredible homemade Everything but the Elote Seasoning and you’ll be glad you did!

How to Make this Elote Recipe

1. Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, and garlic.

   

2. Whisk in fresh grated queso fresco or cotija.

   

3. Grill sweet corn – indoors or out.
   1. Indoors, warm a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Rotate every three minutes on medium high heat for a total of 8-9 minutes. You can learn more about how to grill corn indoors here.
   2. Outdoors, rotate corn on a grill for a light charring on all sides.

      

4. Cover with mixture. Optional: garnish with cilantro, dust with chili powder or a little salt and pepper.

Mexican Street Corn Variations

You can make Mexican Street Corn with fresh corn on the cob, frozen corn or canned corn. Of course fresh is always best for maximum flavor.

It’s the ultimate side dish to serve with beef tacos, chicken nachos, Cilantro Lime Chicken and more!

• I prefer to eat it directly off the cob for ease, but you can also remove corn kernels from the cob using a knife and toss Mexican Street Corn with all ingredients for the ultimate side dish!
• If you prefer, you can substitute mayonnaise with Mexican crema or sour cream. Try this savory cilantro crema for another delicious option!

Elote Recipe Tips

• You can make Mexican Corn on the Cob with cotija cheese, but I prefer queso fresco because it’s easily accessible. 
• If you don’t like cilantro, you can garnish with used lime wedges. They add a little color to your platter. Another option is to sprinkle a little chili powder over the Mexican Street Corn.

Serving Suggestions

This Elote recipe serves beautifully at your summer barbeque or any Mexican themed dinner night. Serve it alongside the following ideas!

• Cilantro Lime Salad
• Mexican Pasta Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower
• Beef Enchiladas
• Best Beef Tacos
• Doritos Nachos
• Cream Cheese Bean Dip
• Avocado Salsa

Dietary Considerations

• Gluten Free
• Vegetarian
• Nut Free

How to Store

Refrigerate – Refrigerate covered up to two days.

It’s so good you’re going to want to pin this for later to make for all of your summer get-togethers and of course, Cinco de Mayo.

Love that Mexican flavor with a touch of fresh cilantro? Don’t skip this Cilantro Lime Crema and Cilantro Aioli!

I hope you enjoy this elote recipe as much as we do! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating and review for other readers!

More Amazing Corn Recipes:

• Fried Corn
• Chipotle Corn Salsa Recipe
• Corn Casserole (Cheesy Corn)
• Easy Corn Dip Recipe (Crack Corn Dip)
• How to Grill Corn
• Grilled Corn on the Stove Top