Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

4.75 from 32 votes

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is corn on the cob covered in mayo and topped with cilantro, lime juice, Cotija cheese, and chili powder.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender and bright yellow. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Using a brush or spoon, coat all sides of the corn with melted butter, then generously slather each corn with the mayonnaise mixture.
Sprinkle each ear generously with cotija cheese, the remaining cayenne pepper, and chopped cilantro.

Spice level: Cayenne pepper will add a delicious spice to the elotes. If you don’t want it too spicy, you can use the typical chili powder found in most grocery stores. If you want to use the traditional chile that’s used in Mexico for elotes, try ground chile piquin.
Esquites: If you prefer corn cut from the cob, try making Esquites instead, which is Mexican street corn served in a cup.
Grilled corn: Grilling the corn instead of boiling it adds a delicious flavor to the elotes. To grill, brush each ear of corn with vegetable oil, then grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until it’s cooked through and charred in some spots.