Street Corn
intro
Chargrilled sweet corn slathered in creamy spiced sauce, topped with crumbly cotija and bright lime—iconic, zesty street food perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep grill and corn
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (200°C/400°F). Brush each husked corn ear evenly with 15ml (1 tbsp) neutral avocado oil, and sprinkle lightly with 1g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt to coat all sides.
Char the corn ears
Place oiled corn directly on clean grill grates. Cook for 10–12 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes with long metal tongs, until kernels are bright golden with dark, uneven charred spots across all sides. Remove corn from the grill and set aside to cool for 2 minutes so it is safe to handle.
Make creamy spiced slather
While corn grills, stir together 120ml (1/2 cup) full-fat mayonnaise, 60g (1/4 cup) Mexican crema, 3g (1 tsp) ancho chili powder, 1.5g (1/2 tsp) garlic powder, and 1g (1/2 tsp) smoked paprika in a small mixing bowl until completely smooth and evenly combined, with no spice clumps remaining.
Coat corn in sauce
Use a silicone basting brush to spread 2 tablespoons of the creamy spiced mixture evenly over the entire surface of each warm, charred corn ear, rotating the cob as you work to cover every kernel for consistent, generous flavor.
Add cotija cheese coating
Hold each sauced corn ear over a shallow plate, and sprinkle 20g of finely crumbled cotija cheese over all sides, pressing gently with clean fingers to help the cheese stick to the creamy coating rather than falling onto the plate.
Garnish and serve immediately
Sprinkle each finished corn ear with 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh cilantro, and serve right away with 2 lime wedges per ear, for guests to squeeze fresh tart lime juice over top before eating.
Tips
2.For less messy eating, insert a 4-inch wooden corn skewer into the cut end of each cob before adding toppings, to give guests a sturdy handle that keeps creamy sauce and cheese off their fingers.
3.If cotija cheese is unavailable, substitute with finely crumbled feta cheese; reduce the added kosher salt by half, as feta is noticeably saltier than mild, crumbly cotija.
Made this for our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were literally coming up to me asking for the recipe all night! I was worried the cotija might be too strong for the pickier kids but nope, even my 7 year old asked for a second cob. SO easy to throw together on the grill too, total game changer for summer cookouts.
Wait, can I make this in a cast iron if it rains on my grill night? We’ve had nonstop thunderstorms all week here and I’ve been craving elote something fierce. Also, do you have to use cotija or is queso fresco a fine swap?
20 minute cook time is NOT a lie, y’all. I threw this together after work last night to go with my shrimp tacos and it was done before my rice even finished cooking. The chili lime seasoning hits so hard, I’ll never make plain corn on the cob again.
Tried this last night for our taco Tuesday spread and my wife said it’s better than the elote we get at our favorite local taco stand. Only tweak I made was adding a tiny pinch of smoked paprika to the crema mix for extra depth, chef’s kiss.
Has anyone tried prepping the crema mix ahead of time for meal prep? I want to bring this to a work lunch next week but don’t want to be mixing stuff up in the office kitchen, lmao.
OMG I was so skeptical of putting mayo on corn at first but my roommate begged me to try this recipe and I’m a total convert. It’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, everything you want. My only mistake was not making enough, I ate three cobs in one sitting oops.
Super easy, even for a guy who burns toast half the time. Followed the directions exactly and it came out perfect. Grilled the corn over medium heat for 10 minutes like the recipe said, got that perfect little char without it getting dried out. Will make again.
How much cayenne would you add to make this extra spicy? I love mouth-numbing heat and the regular amount of chili powder just doesn’t do it for me.
Made this in my dorm air fryer because I don’t have access to a grill and it still slapped! Cooked the corn at 400 for 12 minutes, flipped halfway, then coated it in the crema mix and added all the toppings. 10/10, fed my whole dorm floor.
Wait, is all the stuff in this recipe gluten free? I have celiac so I have to be super careful with cross contamination and hidden gluten in seasonings. Looks amazing, just need to confirm before I make it for my birthday cookout.
My grandma used to make elote when I was a kid growing up in southern California and this recipe tastes exactly like hers. I got a little teary eating it last night, honestly. Perfect balance of creamy, salty, tangy, no weird extra ingredients.
Skip the boiled corn at your next cookout, make this instead. I’ve made it three weekends in a row now and every single guest has raved. The lime squeeze at the end is non-negotiable, don’t skip that step.
Help! I left the corn on the grill a little too long and the kernels got a little dried out, is there a way to salvage it? I don’t want to waste 6 cobs of corn for my date night tonight 😭
Made this vegan by swapping the crema for vegan sour cream and using nutritional yeast mixed with a little salt instead of cotija, and it was still so good! Even my non-vegan friends were stealing bites off my plate.
Made these for our football tailgate last weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes. I pre-grilled the corn at home, wrapped them in foil, and mixed up the topping in a little tupperware so people could dress their own. Zero mess, zero leftovers. 10/10 will be a regular for game days.
Why did I wait so long to try making elote at home? I always thought it was super complicated but this was so straightforward. I even splurged on the good cotija from the local Mexican grocery store and it made all the difference.
My three teen boys ate SIX cobs of this between them at dinner last night. I swear they’re bottomless pits when I make something good. I served it with grilled chicken and black beans and they asked if we can have it every night this week.
The chili-lime tajin sprinkle on top of the corn? Game changer. I never thought to add a little extra tajin after coating it, but that little extra tang and heat is chef’s kiss. Paired perfect with my carnitas tacos and a cold cerveza.
This was the first thing I ever made on my new grill and it came out perfect! I was so nervous I’d mess it up but the directions were super clear, no fancy tools needed. My roommate said it tasted like restaurant quality, I felt so proud.
20 minute cook time is perfect for those busy weeknights when you don’t feel like slaving over the stove. I had this on the table in 18 minutes flat, paired with leftover pulled pork and a side salad. No fuss, tons of flavor, 10/10.