Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Grilled Mexican street corn (elote) is charred to perfection and slathered with mayo, cotija, lime, and chili powder — flavorful, messy, irresistible summer corn!
Servings: 8 People
Equipment
Ingredients
- 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
Tips and Variations
- 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. 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 provides enough saltiness. Add it if you wish.
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