Description
Elote is Mexican street corn: juicy ears of corn grilled until charred, then slathered in a creamy sauce and topped with cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime for a bold, tangy, savory bite.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, husked
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as substitute)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt, to taste
- Butter or oil for grilling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium‑high heat.
- Brush the corn lightly with oil or butter (optional) and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 10–12 minutes.
- While the corn grills, in a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream (or crema), chili powder, smoked paprika (if using), and a pinch of salt.
- Once the corn is done, brush the creamy sauce mixture generously over each ear while still hot.
- Immediately, sprinkle crumbled cotija cheese all over the corn so it sticks to the sauce.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Notes
- If cotija cheese isn’t available, feta or queso fresco make good substitutes. ([turn0search4](https://www.giangiskitchen.com/elote/))
- You can increase the chili powder or add a dash of cayenne for more heat. ([turn0search13](https://www.kitchengidget.com/2019/05/04/elote-recipe/))
- For a lighter version, you can reduce or omit the sour cream or use Greek yogurt.
- If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan or broiler works fine—just watch for charring and rotate corn to get even color. ([turn0search9](https://cookieandkate.com/elote-recipe/))
- To avoid sogginess, add the sauce and cheese just before serving so the corn retains its texture. ([turn0search5](https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/grilled_mexican_street_corn_elotes/))
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grilling / Pan
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ear
- Calories: ≈ 220
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
