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Mexican Street Corn (also known as Elote) is a sweet, salty, and savory side dish we all love! Now you can make it in the air fryer, perfect for those days it’s too cold or rainy for the grill.
If you’ve ever wanted to make Mexican Street corn at home but don’t own a grill or don’t want to fire one up on a weeknight, this air fryer version is exactly what you’ve been looking for. You get the same bold, smoky flavor and creamy topping in a fraction of the time, with virtually no cleanup. I cook mine at 390 degrees F, turn once with tongs, and pull them when the corn is tender and the outside is slightly charred. That creamy topping puts it over the top, that’s why this is one of our most repeated side dishes!
What is Mexican Street Corn?
Mexican street corn, also known as Elote, is a wildly popular dish sold in street carts in Mexico and other parts of the world. Traditionally, it is made by grilling ears of fresh corn and then slathering them with a sour cream mixture, cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice. The result is a deliciously creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor that is irresistible
Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn
For the complete recipe scroll to the printable recipe card below.
- Corn: you will need fresh corn for this recipe. Personally, sweet corn is my favorite but any variety will work.
- Sour Cream and Mayonnaise: this is the mixture that will be brushed on the cooked corn.
- Cotija Cheese: for some, this will be a difficult ingredient to find. It is a delicious salty crumbling cheese that is usually used in this dish. You can substitute queso fresco or feta cheese.
- Spices: I use chili powder, paprika and of course sea salt for this dish. One thing to remember is the cheese is quite salty, so add the salt to taste.
- Lime and Cilantro: the finishing touch is a squeeze of fresh lime juice as well as a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
How to Cook Mexican Corn
- Arrange the Corn Correctly: You’re going to want the ears in a single layer with space between them so that they cook evenly. Check ahead of time so you’ll know if you need to trim the ears more or cook in batches.
- Air Fry the Corn: Air fry at 390 degrees F for 5 minutes. Turn, and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until it reaches your desired tenderness.
- Brush with Sour Cream Mixture: Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise. Place the cooked corn on the cob on a plate and brush all sides of the corn with the mixture. Don’t be shy! This is how the cheese and spices will adhere to the corn so brush the mixture very liberally.
- Add Cheese and Spices: Next sprinkle the corn with the cheese. Then top with the chili powder, paprika, lime juice and cilantro. Add the salt to taste as needed.
Pairs Well With
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
- Reheating:
- Air fryer: 350 degrees F for 3-4 minutes until warm.
- Microwave: 30 second increments until warm.
Air Fryer Corn Off the Cob
Eating corn on the cob can be messy, so there’s no shame if you prefer an off-the-cob version! I still prefer to cook the corn while it’s still on the cob because the air fryer blows the little kernels around so much, it makes it even harder to get an even cook. So cook the corn as directed, then cut the cooked kernels off the cob into a bowl. Add in your topping ingredients and stir so you get that great elote flavor in every bite! Serve as a dip with tortilla chips and more game day appetizers.
Mexican Corn Dishes
Recipe FAQ
No, this dish is not spicy. If you are sensative to chili powder you can just use paprika instead.
Yes, you can boil, grill or roast the corn and then follow the instructions for the remaining ingredients.
Any varity of fresh corn on the cob will work for this recipe.
You’ll know it’s done when the kernels look plump and deep yellow with some brown blistered spots in some places.
For the best texture, yes! If you do not preheat it, the corn slowly begins to steam, creating a softer, sweeter texture. We want it to char instead, so it’s important that the air fryer is already hot when the corn goes in.
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Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, shucked, desilked, clean, dry
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Shuck the corn and remove the silk. You may need to trim your corn to fit in your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Spritz the corn with spray oil (just a tiny amount) and add the corn to the air fryer. Fry for 5 minutes at 390 degrees and then carefully turn with tongs. Fry another 5-6 minutes until the corn is tender and the outside has begun to char slightly.
- While the corn is cooking combine the sour cream and mayonnaise.
- When the corn is done remove it from the air fryer with tongs and brush all sides with the sour cream mixture. Next, sprinkle with the cheese and spices. Squeeze the fresh lime juice and add the chopped cilantro over the corn. Add salt to taste. (remember the cheese is salty)
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Queso fresco or feta cheese can be substituted if you can not find cotija cheese.
- Want it off the cob? Cut the kernals off after cooking, then toss with the topping as explained in the post above.
- Some models may only fit 2-3 trimmed ears of corn, so you may need to cook in batches so they stay in a single layer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I didn’t know corn could taste this good or be this quick and easy!
I did sub parmesan cheese for the cojito cheese. And I brushed with melted butter halfway through air frying. I made this for a church potluck and after sampling one piece “to make sure it was cooked through” I’m looking at the whole batch and thinking, “I need to put this away before I eat it all myself!”
This made me laugh, Jennifer! “Quality control” is the best part of cooking for a potluck. Love the parmesan swap and the butter halfway through. Thanks so much for sharing!