Elote – Street Corn. Are you ready for the weekend?

Elote, Mexican street corn, is a sublime side dish made with corn that will make you come back for more and more. And since the corn is in season and most tender, the perfect opportunity presented itself to make it.

ElotePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

We enjoy this dish from one of our favorite restaurants in town, and the occasion arose itself to prepare it in my kitchen with a twist and share it with all of you, and I am confident you will love it.

What is Elote?

Elote is a prevalent grilled Mexican street corn slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with a kick of chili powder and fresh lemon juice.

And let’s not forget the salty Cojita cheese and cilantro. Very messy to eat but worth every bite.

The traditional way of serving it is on the corn on the cob itself is grilled. Having a child with braces makes it a bit challenging to do so. Thus this version of the elote recipe.

I did not use my barbeque grill but my over-the-stove grill pan. Doing so tenderized the corn and brought out all the sweetness.

The balance between the sweetness of the corn and the salty Cotija cheese is heaven for your taste buds. The hot sauce is just the perfect hint of heat that will linger with a great bold flavor of sweet corn in the forefront.

ElotePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

What is Cotija cheese similar to?

A good substitute for fresh Cotija cheese is Feta. Although feta is made traditionally with sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep and goat, they share the same salty, pungent taste.

Parmesan or Romano cheese is a good substitute if you cannot find any Cotija cheese.

Tips and how to make this Elote dish to perfection

• Purchase corn that has very tight husks around it and has a portion of the bottom corn, or as I call it, the stump. The tighter the husks are around it, the tender the corn kernels will be.
• Before placing the corn cubs on the grill, cut off some of the husks overhanging at the cob’s tip. This will prevent catching on fire while grilling them.
• I use my Lodge Grill Pan when grilling, outside or with an inside grill. Ensure you turn the corn in the husk occasionally and uniformly to char it evenly and not burn the kernels underneath them. Keep a keen eye over the grill, as you do not want them to catch on fire. Medium-high heat, preferably.
• Use good ventilation too. It can get smoky rather quickly in your kitchen.
• Use tongs to turn the ears of corn.
• Remove the husks as well as remove the silks.
• I used a blend of mayonnaise and sour cream. Using only mayonnaise is perfect and will not compromise the flavor.
• Mix the sauce as you are grilling the corn. The mayonnaise will have time to be infused with Sriracha, lime juice, and sugar.
• You can substitute the Sriracha with any hot Mexican sauce that you wish.
• My cheese amount is just a suggestion; as you know, I love cheese.
• Serve with lime wedges and at room temperature.

ElotePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

How to remove the corn from the core

One of the easiest methods is to use a bundle or any round cake mold that has a hole in the middle. Place the bottom stem in the center of the cake mold hole.

Hold firmly down with one hand, and with the other hand, using a sharp knife, start from the tip and cut alongside the corn cob by cutting down to the bottom. You should see all the corn kernels being removed. Once one side is done, start on the other until all the corn is removed from the core.

Save the cores as you can add them to any soup for extra richness in flavor. They do freeze well too.

This Mexican Elote or street corn dish stores well if you have leftovers. You can enjoy it with grilled tortillas or with the dishes below.

ElotePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Ingredients needed to make Elote - Mexican Street Corn

My Elote - Mexican Street Corn is published on GiangisKitchen.com

• 6 ears of corn, husk left intact
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ cup cotija cheese, broken down into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
• ground chili powder to taste

Instructions

1. Over a medium-hot grill, roast the corn until the husks are charred, about 10 minutes if done over the stove grill. Turn the husk occasionally to char husk while not burning the kernels underneath it uniformly.
2. Set the charred husk aside to cool, then shuck them and cut off the corn from the cob.
3. Meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, hot sauce, lime juice, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
4. When ready to eat, add the corn and the mayonnaise mixture in a large skillet and sauté over medium-low heat until warm. Pour into a bowl, and garnish with cilantro, cotija cheese, and chili powder.

Personal Note

A perfect side dish to:

Lamb Chops with Parsley, Garlic, and Rosemary

Pork Chops with Mango Habanero Sauce

Parmesan, Panko Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Lemon Parmesan Orange Roughy

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Meet Chef Giangi

ElotePhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

I am a passionate cook, recipe developer, author, and food photographer with nearly 15 years of food blogging experience. Inspired by my French and Italian heritage, I work with other foreign and domestic chefs and have had countless discussions with chefs at famous restaurants globally. I enjoy sharing these creative culinary delights in simple, straightforward, easy-to-understand recipes.

I only recommend the products that I love and use. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.