This Mexican Street Corn recipe is packed full of fresh, bright, and amazing flavors. It is a great way to spice up any BBQ or dinner table.
What to Gather
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this Mexican street corn. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Fresh Corn – Although self explanatory, you do need to use fresh ears of corn rather than corn off the cob for this elote recipe. However, I do have a Mexican Corn Salad recipe that provides the same flavors but uses corn kernels instead.
- Crema mexicana – This is where the corn starts getting good. This is a creamy sauce that gives a tart flavor to this great recipe. You can either make your own or buy it at any major grocery store.
- Queso cotija – This is a crumbly Mexican cheese found in most grocery stores. However, you can use queso fresco if your store doesn’t carry it.
- Butter
- Limes
- Mexican chile powder
- Fresh cilantro
Perfect Pairings
You can serve this street corn with just about anything you’d like to! I like to serve mine with other Mexican food like tacos, burritos, fajitas or something else similar.
I also like to serve with other sides like spanish rice, homemade guacamole and cheese dip. Tortilla chips are always a plus too!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, you can also make my Mexican Street Corn Salad by making this recipe and taking it off the cob and into a bowl for easy eating! You can even use it in my Mexican Chicken Casserole.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – If you used unsalted butter, you might need to add a pinch of salt. I like to use kosher salt.
- Seasonings – Add a little spice to this mexican street corn recipe by adding some cayenne pepper into the mix.
- Sauces – If you aren’t able to find or make mexican crema, you can always use sour cream mixture instead. Some people even use a garlic mayo. Simply mix mayonnaise with minced garlic and use in place of the mexican crema.
- Swaps – If you can’t find queso cotija, any crumbly cheese such as feta cheese will work. I’ve even seen people use parmesan cheese too.
- Senses – Mexican street corn is smoky, creamy, and tangy, with the scent of charred corn and zesty lime. Each bite bursts with sweet kernels, rich mayo, crumbly cotija, and a kick of chili spice.
Mexican Corn on the Cob
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ears corn
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 6 limes quartered
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 cup crema mexicana
- 1 cup queso cotija or queso fresco crumbled
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the 12 ears corn inside the husk for 45 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Allow the corn to cool so you can handle, then husk the corn. You can also wear gloves if you don't have time to allow them to cool fully.
- Place the w1/2 cup butterinto a long dish, roll each corn cob in butter and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon chile powder. Return to the grill to create a char, anywhere from 10-20 minutes.
- Remove and spritz the corn with fresh juice from 6 limes. Place the 1 cup crema mexicana in long dish, roll each corn cob. Sprinkle with the crumbled 1 cup queso cotija or queso fresco, 2 tablespoons cilantro and additional chile powder.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
Fresh sweet corn is always best when eaten right away. But you can store your easy Mexican street corn in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days.
Freezing this corn is not recommended, but you can reheat in either the microwave or oven.
More Corn Recipes
Corn is such a versatile ingredient! From side dishes to soups, these are some of our favorite corn recipes.
This looks like the perfect side dish for a summer BBQ! Yum! 🙂
My family loves corn, especially during the summer months. This is now our favorite way to eat corn. The cream sauce and Mexican cheese make it truly delicious.
Easy recipe and it was a big hit. Difficult to find cotija, but subbed with Feta. Still tasted great.
Yay! That is what we love to hear!
I made this recipe tonight to go with our carne asada for Cinco de Mayo. It absolutely blew me away. So delicious, savory, with a kick. My husband and I have found our go-to corn recipe. Thanks for posting!
Mandy, nothing warms my heart more than hearing that people tried and loved the recipes I post. I’m glad you have a new favorite and thank you so stopping by and letting me know!
I’ve never actually grilled corn. I know, right?!? This looks delish!
I just picked up some corn. I will have to try this ASAP!
Mmmmm looks amazing! How did you make your own quick Crema Mexicana??
Very easy, Chris- just follow this link! https://www.savoryexperiments.com/2014/07/crema-mexicana.html
That looks so good! I love good fresh corn. Hot off the grill is even better!
I LOVE GRILLED CORN! I am so obsessed I pinned this recipe because I have to recreate this!
This grilled Mexican corn looks so tasty. I need to find a source of GMO free corn and make this.
Have you checked your local Farmer’s Market?