This Mexican street corn (elote) is slathered in a creamy blend of mayonnaise, sour cream, and lime juice, then sprinkled with chili powder and a dash of cayenne for a spicy kick. Topped off with crumbled queso fresco and fresh cilantro, this authentic street food favorite is bursting with bold flavors.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked (or 3 cups canned or frozen corn)
- Vegetable oil
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Using Different Types of Corn (Fresh, Canned or Frozen)
- Fresh corn: If fresh corn on the cob is available, it will definitely give your street corn the best flavor and texture. Which makes this side dish especially great during the summer months, when corn is in season. But sometimes you’ll need to use well-drained canned corn or thawed frozen corn.
- Canned or frozen corn: Obviously you can’t grill canned or frozen corn, but you can still get that char by putting it under the broiler for a few minutes, or sautéing it in a cast iron skillet. You’ll need about three cans of corn (well drained), or about three cups of frozen corn to replace the fresh corn in this recipe.
No Queso Fresco? No Problem!
Cotija and crumbled feta cheese are both great substitutes if you can’t find queso fresco. I’ve even used grated Parmesan cheese in a pinch. Dairy-free cheese crumbles are a great vegan option.
Alternatives to Mayo & Sour Cream
Feel free to use light or low-fat options of both mayonnaise and sour cream in this recipe. Both can also be replaced with Mexican crema, Greek yogurt, and vegan or dairy free alternatives.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I brought it to a pool party at the beginning of the summer. It has now become my “entrance ticket” to pool parties. Best side dish ever.
Carol
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
My Corn Isn’t Charred
- Make sure you’re grill is hot enough before adding the corn.
- If you’re using a skillet, cook the corn without stirring it too much—letting it sit for a minute before stirring helps develop color.
- For an extra smoky taste, add a pinch of smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the sauce.
My Corn is too Spicy/Not Spicy Enough
To tone down the heat, add more sour cream or mayo, or a little honey to add sweetness and balance the spice. To increase spice, sprinkle in more cayenne, Tajín, or hot sauce. Minced fresh jalapenos are another great way to kick things up a notch!
The Sauce is Too Thick
I like to make the sauce in a separate bowl before adding it to the corn so I can make sure all those flavorful ingredients are smooth and distributed evenly. If your sauce seems too thick after mixing it with the corn, try adding an extra splash of lime juice or a bit of milk to loosen things up.
Cooking Questions Answered
Can I Make Street Corn Ahead of Time?
Street corn is a great side dish to make ahead of time. You can prepare the sauce and toppings up to two days in advance, and grill the corn up to one day ahead for optimal freshness. If you’re keeping the corn on the cob, you can toss it back on the grill to reheat, or warm it in the microwave.
The microwave also works great for reheating kernels, or you can toss them in a hot skillet with a bit of butter. I do recommend keeping the corn and toppings separate and assembling everything closer to serving time so your street corn will taste fresh and flavorful!
How Should I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover street corn in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or enjoy it cold (which I love, but my husband refuses to try).
Delicious, easy recipe. Making it for the second time this week for another dinner party–was a huge hit at my last party and perfect for Memorial Day.
Patty
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Whether you’re serving it at a backyard barbecue or enjoying it with a week night dinner, Mexican street corn is a crowd-pleasing dish that’s full of flavor and fun to eat. It’s the perfect side dish for any Tex-Mex meal.
Don’t worry, you won’t need any fancy equipment to make this recipe. You can even cook the corn on a stovetop grill pan or in the oven if you don’t have a grill. And you can even use frozen or canned corn if fresh corn on the cob isn’t available. Plus you can customize it to suit your taste—add garlic, swap the cheese, or make it spicier.
Creamy & Spicy Mexican Street Corn
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked (or 3 cups canned or frozen corn)
- Vegetable oil
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- For fresh corn on the cob: Preheat grill for high heat. Brush 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked with Vegetable oil. Grill corn, turning every 2-3 minutes, until slightly charred on all sides. Cool and cut corn kernels off the cob.For canned or frozen corn: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until black spots begin to appear on the kernels, about 8-10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2-3 tablespoons sour cream,1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder and Dash of cayenne pepper.
- Stir in corn kernels. Season with Salt and pepper, to taste. Before serving, garnish with 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Video
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Nutrition
Variations & Fun Twists
- Add seeded, diced jalapeños for extra spice and crunch.
- Add crumbled bacon for a smoky crunch and added texture.
- Add black beans for added protein, or diced avocado for added texture.
What to Serve With Mexican Street Corn
Mexican Street Corn is a great side dish for almost any meal, including grilled chicken or fish, steak, shrimp and pork chops. But our favorite time to enjoy this tasty corn dish is on Taco Tuesday–which we celebrate any day of the week!
Try these delicious taco recipes the next time you’re serving street corn for dinner.
136 comments
Joseph
This is my favorite mexican street corn recipe! We used canned corn instead of fresh just because that’s we had on hand and it was still delicious. Highly recommend!
Elizabeth S.
I really love your recipe as far as I can tell. I have some vision problems so I tried to print out your recipe so I could use it. Unfortunately, all the ads and videos and pop-ups interfered so much so that I could not print out your recipe. It’s too bad because I won’t be trying it today. Thanks anyway.
Wendee
Some of these comments are crazy!!! Who knew people could get so twisted over some Mexican Street Corn?!?
I boiled the corn first because I didn’t fully read the instructions otherwise, followed the recipe as is and it was wonderful!!!!
arshad
i love its way of working
segredo de cleópatra ebook
Im really impressed by it. 92966144
Kim Corrigan
Living here on the East coast there is no Torchy’s, so I cannot compare. But, what I can tell you is that this Mexican Street corn is delicious!! The first Summer harvest of local corn just came in and this recipe will be my staple for corn. Thank you for sharing.
annie
Can I make the day before and re-heat?
Tammy
I am about to try this but…about the comment that mentions vomit…
When someone doesn’t like cilantro (either you do or don’t), it can taste like vomit to them. I am making this for a work party, so I am leaving the cilantro out. Hope this helps.
Kate
As a cilantro lover, I wouldn’t do that! Maybe keep the cilantro on the side, or pull a smaller batch out for those who don’t like cilantro before adding the herb.
Ignacio
With absolutely no desire to be rude, I arrived here while googling “corn esquites tastes like vomit” to see if I was the only one or perhaps something had spoiled with my specific serving since this was the first time I tried it and I have no frame of reference.. Thank you for mentioning the cilantro: I’m sure that’s the culprit in my case!
Ruth Tilson
Can I serve room temperature? I need to make for 8 people. How would I change the qualities in the recipe to have the correct ratio?
Mike
Have you ever tried not having so many ads so we could actually see the recipe?
Diane
In all incarnations of Mexican street corn salad I use canned fire roasted corn to simplify and speed things up. It’s always a hit.
Jessica
I love this recipe! I don’t grill so I found a great alternative. I ended up using the frozen steamed bag(s) of Green Giant Seasoned Honey Roasted Sweet Corn.
Don Banks
I loved the sound of this and wanted to try it so badly, but after 10 minutes of trying to navigate through all the pop-ups and ads, I found this and thought I would tell someone. I know the ads make you money but it’s very aggravating and annoying to find important content covered up and slowing down your page. Sorry.
Justin
Great recipe, nice and easy. Too many ads all over this website which makes navigating the information incredibly difficult and distracting.
Amy
I have been making this recipe for years and OMG it never disappoints! This is by far my favorite street corn, even over restaurant versions! Thank you for sharing!!!
Nicole
I used this as a base recipe to build on. I tossed my fresh corn, cut it off the stalk and set aside. The off cob, street corn I’ve had always has red/green pepper, so I chopped a 1/4 c of each and mixed with mayo, sour cream and spices (cumin, smoked paprika, taco seasoning and ground red pepper to taste). I sautéed that for a couple minutes to soften the red/green peppers, then added the corn. I let it simmer. Meanwhile, I whipped up a second batch of the wet ingredients & spices and added it to the pan. I topped with cotija cheese, cilantro & a light squeeze of lime. We truly e joyed it. Thank you.
Mason
How much mayonnaise tho lol
Pam
Fresh Corn is not available in my area this time of year. Any suggestions on what to use- frozen, Canned etc? I know it’ll be a bit different than fresh but would love to try and appreciate any suggestions from those that have made it.
Shayna
I made them and followed the recipe exit. I “grilled” my corn over the stove top. Came out great but Ii felt the sauce needed a little something extra and added tajin seasoning. Amazing! and soooo simple!
shayna
EXACTLY* not exit, sorry spelling error
Lisa
I love this recipe, but my guest is gluten free. I’ve googled each ingredient and it looks like I’ll need to be careful when buying spices. But otherwise, can you confirm this is gluten free? Thanks
Danelle
I honestly don’t do enough gluten free cooking or baking to confirm this 100%. I believe it is, as far as I know, although I’m not sure which brands of spices are gluten free. Your guest might actually have a better idea on the spices, and I’d just be sure to carefully check labels on all your ingredients.
Susan Hedstrom
I got my husband back through the help of ( Lordzakuza7 @ gmail. com ).
Rebecca
This is an easy versatile recipe. The idea is to create a Latin corn side dish that is creamy, tangy and spicy. Don’t get hung up on exact details – recipes like this are a basic road map not a final blueprint. I didn’t char my corn, used frozen cilantro, subbed it Parmesan for the mexican cheese and creole seasoning for the cayenne/chili powder. Still came out delish. Have fun with it
Claire
About how many cups would six ears be? We already have a lot of cooked, freshly cut corn and I’m not sure how much we cut. Thanks!
Danelle
4-5 cups
Les
I’m making street corn for the first time. I bought 4 ears of corn, steamed them for 45 minutes in my steamer pot till soft, then added a little sugar and salt and chili lime seasoning, no cilantro, it tastes like soap. I HATE that spice. Walmart sells the cojita cheese all ready grated, but I had a solid piece that I chopped up and added it to the mix. Then, I added a couple of tablespoons of mayo and sour cream. I heated everything in a skillet and it came out delicious. You can make this recipe in advance and just microwave it when you are ready to eat it. I think i’m going to add some chopped red onion in it. That should taste great.
Mary Anderson
Did you serve it cold?
Danelle
I serve it warm or room temperature.
Michelle
for those whom the plant tastes like soap, the issue is genetic. These people have a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves. This genetic quirk is usually only found in a small percent of the population, though it varies geographically. Interestingly, places where cilantro is especially popular, such as Central America and India, have fewer people with these genes, which might explain how the herb was able to become such a mainstay in those regions. East Asians have the highest incidence of this variation, with some studies showing that nearly 20% of the population experiences soapy-tasting cilantro. There is some evidence that cilantrophobes can overcome their aversion with repeated exposure to the herb, especially if it is crushed rather than served whole, but many people simply choose to go with their genetic inclinations and avoid its soapiness altogether.
Pati
Wow, that is very interesting. I’ve had several people say they hate cilantro. Now i know why. Thanks for the information!
And I LOVE street corn. I lived in Mexico for a bit. The comment about Chihuahua cheese made me giggle. Chihuahua is a state in Mexico, where Juarez and the city of Chihuahua is located, not Chihuahua milk. Lol. I use cotija cheese because i like the strong flavor, and it’s similar to Parmesan (which we used to call stinky feet cheese) so I can see that some people would be put off. Anyway, I never use mayo, I actually use butter, cotija, lime and Valentina or Cholula sauce. Sometimes I use the taking powder instead because it already contains lime. But to each their own!
Jennifer
This sounds great. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the recipe. People can find anything to Bitch about. Some will always try to find a negative in a positive full off sunshine. For those fussing about the recipe being buried in advertisements…..there is a nice little button at the top of the recipe that reads “jump straight to recipe.” Wow what a novel idea. I’m sure y’all will attempt to find another negative though…..so I’ll wait.
Dannene
after posting my comment now I see reviews. very bizarre
Dannene
I really find it helpful when making recipes to see the comments. All I see is star ratings. Very lame.
Susan
Very tasty. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
KAM
My husband and I are diabetics. Im sure we could eat this using lite mayo and lite sour cream along with avocado oil! Cant wait to try it!
Danelle
I haven’t tried it but I imagine it would work just fine.
Joan Doelger
This is delicious. Thank you! Can I warm this entire mixture like a casserole before serving?
Felice
How much salt and pepper would you suggest using? I am always worried about using too much salt. We are actually using 4 ears of corn not 6 as well.
Adam
For the love of god. I would rather invent my own recipe than try to browse this bloated website to find where the ingredients are hidden. I’m sure you’re winning the numbers game on ad revenue, but I hope you feel bad about subjecting people to this garbage. I can’t even proofread all of my comment, because some idiotic widget is overlaying on top of it.
Brian
With all the ads, the recipe isn’t visible.
Julie
I am going to try this today for a small dinner party. If it turns out great, if not it’s on me…but it sounds wonderful & I have been told I’m a pretty good cook, so here goes! Btw I have had mexican street corn before at Swap Meets. Even the little tiny mexican children love it. They be gnawing on those cobs like crazy Thank you for the recipe
Ann Hyzer
Looks great! Trying this today. One correction, though… the corn silk is the corn silk, NOT the tassel. The tassel is on top of the corn plant and produces pollen.
Miki
Goes well with ribs, too. Like the street corn recipe very much.
Candace Vandeborne
I love Mexican Street Corn! Never heard of Torches, but my first taste was in Cozumel, Mexico on the street from a cart! They used cojita cheese an the seasoning was Tajin, like a chili powder but tangy and more flavorful. When I came home to Ohio, I found the Tajin but not the Cojita. I was told using parmesan would work as a substitute, and I have found it to be very good. A local eatery made a Mexican Street Corn pizza and it was excellent!
Nancy C. Smith
You can get Cojita cheese at Trader Joe’s.
Betty Spinks
I substituted paprika for chili. Replaced the mayo with whipped cream. Changed out the corn for a baked potato. But instead of potatoes I call them pancakes. And as an alternative for the word street, I use alley. Et voila! Alley pancakes are delicioso!
Allen Sowinski
Too much work, starting with corn on the cob & grilling/roasting it. I’ve been making this wonderful dish using a 1 pound bag of frozen sweet corn & pouring it into a metal bowl when it’s thawed. Then I use either my propane or butane torch to lightly “char” the kernels. I char and toss, char and toss until most of the contents of the bowl show a little black on each kernel. It’s so much easier to use a torch and the corn doesn’t get mushy or dehydrated. After torching the kernels, I proceed adding every ingredient in this wonderful recipe. It’s a frequently used keeper in our house.
Too hot in Houston
Brilliant way to get a char and avoid the heat of a grill or stove!
Sharol
Great advice. I was looking for some good direction with using frozen corn. This was the best. Thank you
Jenni
Making this tonight to go with my leftover brisket tacos! The store didn’t have fresh corn, so I’m adapting with frozen. Thanks for the recipe!!
Maureen
I feel really dumb? What is the cook temperature? I do not see it in the recipe. And when it says “garnish” with cheese and cilantro…is that AFTER it comes out of the oven? Or before?
Thank you!
Jacob
This website is really hard to read because of the incredibly high amount of ads and weird layout. It would have been nice to see the recipe quicker. i’m not against using ads…just fix the layout please.
Mike hunt
Seriously? That’s how you get these free recipes by having ads up there so the site can have revenue. Man, people will bitch about anything and always find something to complain about.
Kathy
I made this a few months ago for a potluck. They talked about for weeks afterward. Making again today! I sub cotija cheese and add a little chopped onion for crunch. Thanks!
Carol Boehler
Thank you for posting this recipe. I brought it to a pool party at the beginning of the summer. It has now become my “entrance ticket” to pool parties. Best side dish ever.
Mary Anderson
Did you serve it cold?
Jacki
Absolutely delicious! I roasted my corn under the broiler. I loved it cold! It lasted well in the fridge for 3 days. I didn’t put the cheese and extra lime on it until I was ready to eat it. Thanks!
Noelle
This Mexican corn recipe is so good! I’m really glad I grilled in on the BBQ too – it added a smoky flavor to the kernels and was really pretty quick and easy. I added a little Tajin chili-lime seasoning to the recipe in addition to the other ingredients. So yummy. Reminded me of the corn I recently had at Trejo’s Tacos in LA. Will make this again!!
Cindy
I need to serve this as a side for 28 people. Do you think I reallly need to 4x the recipe?
Danelle
Personally, I would 4x it. That would be the equivalent of less than one ear of corn per person.
Courtney
Hi! Would this keep well in the fridge overnight? And can I double it?
Danelle
Yes to both!
Craig
I saw another post that mentioned Cotija cheese. Is that preferred?
Dana
I myself use cojita cheese for my elote. The person who said it tasted like vomit probably had a batch that had too much cojita in it. It is a strong cheese.
” I had street corn at Torhy;s in my town and it was disgusting! It tasted like vomit,but I don’t know about this particular recipe here.It could of been that the person making the corn didn’t know what they were doing”
Danelle
They are very similar. Queso fresco is a little more mild, so it’s really a personal preference. You can even use feta if you can’t find either at the store.
Bong Milk
Amazon associate? Pig.