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Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

Charred corn on the cob slathered with a creamy chili-lime sauce, rolled in salty cotija cheese, and finished with cilantro and fresh lime. Ready in 25 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ears fresh sweet corn husked and silk removed
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • Lime wedges for serving

Method
 

  1. Char the corn: Grill over medium-high heat (about 400F) for 10-12 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until tender with charred spots on all sides. (No grill? Broil 4-5 inches from the element for 8-10 minutes, turning often, or sear in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.)
  2. While the corn cooks, stir together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl.
  3. Transfer the hot corn to a platter (insert wooden skewers into the base of each ear if desired). Brush the sauce generously over each ear, coating all sides while the corn is still hot.
  4. Spread the crumbled cotija on a plate and roll each sauced ear through it, pressing gently so the cheese sticks. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
  5. Dust with an extra pinch of chili powder and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing.

Notes

  • Sauce the corn while it's hot — warm kernels absorb the sauce instead of letting it slide off.
  • Crumble your own cotija from a block for the best texture; pre-crumbled is drier and sticks less well.
  • One lime covers the juice, the zest, and the serving wedges.
  • For a crowd, keep charred corn warm in a 200F oven and set up a DIY elote bar with the sauce and toppings.
  • Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated but are best eaten cold or at room temperature — mayo-based sauce doesn't reheat well.