Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)

Whether you call it elotes or Mexican street corn, this recipe is an undeniably popular antojito—"little craving"— or street food that you can find all over Mexico and the U.S. While this dish can vary, in my classic recipe, grilled corn is covered in a creamy mayo and Mexican crema mixture before being topped with chili powder, cotija cheese, and plenty of lime juice. The result is an easy, flavor-packed side that we just can't get enough of (seriously—see below for all the twists we've developed).

Best part? Besides the fact that it only requires a handful of ingredients to make, elotes are surprisingly easy to make at home with or without an outdoor grill (I've included air fryer instructions too!). Craving a perfect summer snack? Follow my top tips to learn exactly how to re-create this side dish in less than 30 minutes.

How To Make Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)

INGREDIENTS

Corn. Whether you’re getting your corn at the farmer’s market or your local grocery store, here’s how you pick the best ones: look for ears with slightly-sticky, golden brown tassels (the hairy bits!), tight green husks, and plump kernels. You should be able to feel the kernels through the husk, but feel free to peel them back a little bit for a peek. Avoid dry husks that are peeling off on their own and dark black-brown tassels.

Mayo. If you’ve only enjoyed corn with butter, you’re in for a treat—mayo not only helps the other ingredients here stick to the corn, it also adds tons of flavor. Even if you’re a mayo hater, don’t write this recipe off just yet. After absorbing the flavor of the chili powder, cotija cheese, lime juice, and crema, the mayo becomes more like a creamy sauce.

Mexican crema or sour cream. If you can find it, Mexican crema is the way to go here. It’s slightly thicker and a touch sweeter than sour cream, and is worth seeking out. That said, sour cream will totally work (I’ve even been known to prefer it sometimes).

Cotija. This Mexican cow’s milk cheese (named after a town of the same name in Michoacán, Mexico) is practically synonymous with elotes. It’s crumbly, a little funky, and depending on its age, can taste somewhere between feta and Parmesan. Grate it yourself from a block, or (my favorite option) buy pre-grated for ease.

Chili powder. I used chili powder in my recipe, but your options don’t stop there—feel free to swap it out for ancho chile powder or Tajín. Want a bit more heat? Try adding some cayenne powder too.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

For Grilling:
Start by preheating your grill or grill pan (over medium-high heat) for a few minutes. You’re looking for serious heat here, so don’t rush it. In the meantime, shuck your corn. Check out our guide to grilled corn for extra tips to help remove all those pesky silks. Want to serve these on skewers? Shove them into your shucked corn, making sure to get them in there far enough that the corn won’t fall off.

If you’ve got the space next to your grill, you can make your crema mixture while your corn is cooking. Otherwise, make it ahead of time and bring it out to your grill so everything is ready to go once your corn is grilled. I think my ratio of mayo to crema is just right, but feel free to taste and adjust to your preference (especially if you’re using sour cream).

Once your grill is hot, grill your corn for about 10 minutes, turning regularly. The kernels should go from light to bright yellow, and some spot should begin to char and brown.

Then it’s assembly time! Transfer your corn to a platter or serving plate, then brush with your crema mixture, turning your corn so it hits all sides. Top with cheese, chili powder, and cilantro (if you like), then serve with limes for squeezing.

For Air Frying:
This process is very similar to grilling, but with a few differences. Firstly, you might need to cut your cobs in half to make them fit into your air fryer. Secondly, you’re going to want to brush your cobs with oil to help them brown and to keep them from sticking to each other and your fryer basket.

You may also need to cook your corn in batches in your air fryer, but they should take around the same time—10-ish minutes, turning midway to guarantee even cooking. Then you can assemble your elotes the same way as on the grill.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

What To Serve With Elotes

This side is perfect for any cookout staple—try it with veggie burgers, peach-balsamic grilled chicken, or carne asada. For the ultimate party centerpiece, you could set up all of the toppings (adding a few wildcard corn toppings, like scallions, crumbled bacon and sriracha) and create a build-your-own elotes bar. 😱

Storage

As with plain grilled corn on the cob, elotes is best day of, but if you want to get ahead, you can wrap grilled corn in foil and put your crema-mayo mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Another option: shave your kernels off the cobs and turn it into our Mexican- or grilled corn salads.