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Grilled Mexican Street Corn

By Katie Workman

5 from 2 votes

on Aug 06, 2021, Updated May 02, 2024

There is nothing better than an ear of simply steamed or grilled fresh sweet corn in the late summer. Except for Grilled Mexican Street Corn, or elotes.

A bold, possibly controversial statement. And I’m not planning to give up on plain old corn on the cob any time soon. However, what I am planning to do for the remaining corn months of the year (that’s a real thing, you know, the corn months) is to rotate unadorned cooked ears of corn with these embellished ears of corn from day to day, week to week. This will continue until the air gets nippy and the leaves turn orange and drop from the trees. And then I will think about fresh corn for the next 10 months (oh, also, don’t miss out on Grilled Corn Salad!).

There is nothing better than an ear of simply steamed or grilled fresh corn in the late summer. Except for Mexican Grilled Corn.

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What Is Mexican Corn (or Elotes)?

But first, Mexican-grilled corn, known as Elotes. This is also called Mexican Street Corn because in Mexico, you can buy it on the street from vendors, much like you can get a hot dog or soft pretzel here in New York City. 

This is what I’ve been told, and honestly, it’s one of the reasons Mexico is climbing higher on my bucket list (I went a long time ago, but somehow no one seemed to be selling corn where I was, which I now feel bad about). The sellers/cooks grill up ears of corn, then slather them with a spicy, creamy, cheese mayonnaise mixture, and sprinkle over a bit more cheese. 

In the meantime, if we hit the right kind of summer street fair right here in New York City, we will probably come across Mexican Street Corn right here in our northern metropolis. That, and this recipe, is tiding me over until I get the real deal in its home country.

Variations

• If you can find Mexican crèma, use that instead of the sour cream.
• Instead of cotija (a dry, crumbly Mexican cow’s milk cheese), you could use a combination of feta and Parmesan.
• If you can’t find pure ancho chili powder, it’s ok to use a chili powder blend.
• If you don’t have smoked paprika, skip it or give the corn a final sprinkle of chili powder or regular paprika. Be resourceful; you don’t want to miss out on this summer joy.
• Add minced fresh cilantro to the mix, if cilantro is your thing. Notice there is no salt or pepper; the cheese and the chili powder provide enough saltiness and heat. Add it if you wish.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn

1. Make the sauce: Preheat the grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of cheese, garlic, and chili powder. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
2. Grill the corn: Brush the corn with the melted butter. Grill the corn for 8 minutes, until it is nicely browned in spots.

3. Coat the corn with sauce: Roll the corn in the mayo mixture, and place on a serving platter.

4. Serve: Squeeze the lime over the corn, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of cheese, then sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired. Add the lime wedges, and serve immediately.

What to Serve With Mexican Grilled Corn

Grilled Mexican Rib-Eye Steaks

Steak Fajitas

Grilled Chicken Breasts

More Grilled Sides

• Grilled Eggplant
• Grilled Vegetable Skewers
• Grilled Bruschetta
• Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Sauce
• Grilled Asparagus with Vinaigrette

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5 from 2 votes

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

By: Katie Workman

If you're going to tamper with an ear of corn, you'd better make it good.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 People

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Equipment

• Grill

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sour cream or Mexican crema
• ▢ ¼ cup cotija cheese (divided)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ancho or chipotle chili powder
• ▢ 8 ears shucked corn
• ▢ 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 lime (halved; additional lime wedges to garnish)
• ▢ Smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions 

• Heat the grill to medium-high.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of cheese, garlic, and chili powder. Transfer to a plate.
• Brush the corn with the melted butter. Grill the corn for 8 minutes, until it is nicely browned in spots. Roll the corn in the mayo mixture, and place on a serving platter. Squeeze the lime over the corn, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of cheese, then sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired. Add the lime wedges, and serve immediately.

Notes

• If you can find Mexican crèma, use that instead of sour cream.  
• Instead of cotija (a dry, crumbly Mexican cow’s milk cheese), you could use a combination of feta and Parmesan.
• If you can’t find pure ancho chili powder, it’s ok to use a chili powder blend. 
• If you don’t have smoked paprika, skip it, or give the corn a final sprinkle of chili powder or regular paprika.  

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 127mg, Potassium: 256mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 375IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg

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