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This Grilled Mexican Street Corn is an easy, flavorful side dish, perfect for all your summer cookouts and barbecues!
Oh my how I love Mexican Street Corn, also known as Elote.
Grilled Mexican Street Corn is the kind of side dish that steals the show. Charred corn on the cob gets slathered in a creamy, tangy sauce, then finished with crumbled cheese, chili powder, and fresh lime juice. It’s quick, easy, and absolutely packed with bold flavor.
In love with this flavor? Me too! Try the Air Fryer version, this Mexican Street Corn Soup, or Esquites (basically Mexican Street Corn Salad)!
Why you will love it:
- Quick and Easy – bold flavor with minimal ingredients
- Super Versatile – you can grill the corn and set out the rest of the ingredients. Everyone else can make it exactly how they prefer.
- Perfect for Parties – easy to make for a crowd.
Ingredients for Grilled Street Corn
Here is a quick overview of what you will need. Scroll to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
- Corn – Perfect use for fresh sweet corn!
- Sour Cream and Mayonnaise – This creamy, tangy mixture is the perfect coating for sweet corn. It helps the cheese and seasonings stick to the corn.
- Cotija Cheese – This salty, crumbly cheese adds amazing flavor and contrasts with the sweet corn flavor. If you cannot find it, queso fresco can work (it just doesn’t have quite as much flavor).
- Lime juice and Cilantro – Brightens the flavor and brings a wonderful aroma to the dish
- Seasonings: chili powder, paprika, and sea salt.
How to make Mexican Street Corn on the Grill
- Shuck the corn and soak it in cold water for 15 minutes while you heat the grill to medium-high.
- Pat the corn dry, then brush lightly with olive oil or melted butter.
- Grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning now and then, until it’s nicely charred.
- While it cooks, stir together the sour cream and mayo in a small bowl.
- Once the corn is off the grill, brush it with the creamy mixture, sprinkle on the cheese and spices, finish with lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of salt.
What to serve with Mexican Street Corn
We served this delicious side dish with Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa — It gave a great blend of salty, sweet, smoky, and savory. It would be fantastic with other dishes like Chicken Fajitas, Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, or Fajita Veggies, too!
Leftovers can easily be cut off the cob and added to a Chicken Taco Salad Board with sweet potato cubes and creamy jalapeno sauce for a fun second meal.
Storage and Reheating
Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. When you’re ready to eat, heat oven or grill to 350 degrees and warm for 5 minutes or so. For the nicest presentation, store corn and toppings separately, then add toppings after reheating the corn later.
More cookout side dishes
- Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Grilled Potato Salad
- Amazing Peach Bruschetta
- Grilled Fruit Salad
- Sweet Corn Salsa
Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ears of fresh corn
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ½ cup Cotija cheese
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Shuck the corn and remove the silk. Soak the corn in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes.
- Heat the grill to medium high heat.
- Remove the corn from the water and lightly brush with olive oil or melted butter.
- Grill the corn for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until it has charged nicely.
- While the corn is cooking combine the sour cream and mayonnaise. In another small bowl combine the spices.
- When the corn is done carefully remove it from the grill and brush all sides with the sour cream mixture. Next, sprinkle with the spices, cheese, cilantro and a nice big squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
Tips:
- Soak the corn first to prevent it from drying out or burning on the grill.
- Turn often while grilling to get even char and avoid overcooking one side.
- Use a brush or spoon to evenly coat the corn with the creamy sauce.
- Add toppings while hot so the cheese sticks and flavors meld perfectly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
