When summer sweet corn comes hits peak season, this elote recipe goes on repeat in our house. I love corn on the cob in all its iterations, but something about elote is especially irresistible. This grilled Mexican street corn is creamy, tangy, sweet, and smoky. If you’ve never tried it—or never tried making it at home—now’s the time. Let’s make it!
Also called Mexican street corn, elote is a Mexican preparation of corn on the cob. The ears of corn are grilled, then slathered with mayo or crema, and finally topped with lime, chile, and Mexican cheese such as Cotija.
Commonly sold by street vendors in Mexico, elote makes a great snack. I also love to serve it as a side dish at summer cookouts and BBQs.
The first step in this elote recipe is grilling the corn. I share two methods in my recipe for grilled corn on the cob—with the husks and without.
Either will work here. However, having some char on the corn kernels really enhances the smoky flavor in this recipe. If you choose to grill the corn in the husks, you may want to pull them back for the last few minutes of cooking so that some char marks form on the kernels themselves.
Once you grill the corn, make a simple sauce by stirring together the mayo, lime juice, and lime zest.
Use a pastry brush or butter knife to slather the mayo mixture all over each ear of corn.
Sprinkle with the chili powder, Cotija, and cilantro, and season to taste with salt. Serve with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Elote is made with corn on the cob, slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice, sprinkled all over with salty Cotija cheese and cilantro. It’s messy to eat but worth every bite. Elote is the perfect summertime side dish for any Mexican-inspired meal.
More Favorite Corn Recipes
If you love this elote recipe, try one of these other summer corn recipes next:
What to Serve with Elote
Elote is a tasty snack on its own, but it’s also a great side dish for all kinds of summer meals.
How do you like to serve elotes? Let me know in the comments!
Mexican street corn | Elote | Mexican Street food
FAQ
What does Elotes contain?
What is Mexican Street Corn made of?
Why is corn called elote?
What is elote seasoning?
What is elote corn?
What is elote? Elote – ‘ corn cob ’ in Spanish – is Mexican street corn made with corn on the cob charred on the grill, slathered in a creamy mayo sauce, garnished with chilli powder, garlic, fresh lime juice, then sprinkled with Cotija cheese and cilantro. This Mexican street corn tastes sweet and savoury, tangy and spicy in the same bite.
What is Mexican elote?
The world “elote” means “corn cob” in Spanish, and Mexican Elote is grilled corn on the cob slathered in a mayo cream sauce and garnished with chili powder, cheese and lime. Elotes (and esquites) are as commonly sold from street carts in Mexico as hot dogs are in Manhatten. At least that’s what I experienced while living in Puebla, Mexico!
What is elote (Mexican street corn)?
Elote (pronounced: eh-loh-teh) is a dish comprised of cooked sweet corn slathered in a spicy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, and chili powder, and then sprinkled with cheese. It is often advertised as Mexican street corn because it’s a popular snack sold by vendors both on the streets and at festivals in Mexico.
What is elote grilled corn on the cob?
Elote, or Mexican Street Corn, is a popular street food in Mexico and the absolute best way to enjoy grilled corn on the cob. Easy to make at home, sweet corn is smothered in a mixture of creamy mayonnaise, chili powder, and lime juice, then topped with tangy crumbled cotija cheese. So good! What is Elote?