There's a restaurant in Dallas called José that serves the best Mexican Street Corn. They call it elote even though the meaning of elote is corn cob and their dish is served off the cob. It's fantastic.
I'd never had elotes before and I fell in love. Of course, fresh corn is my very favorite vegetable ever, so that helps.
This recipe is a wonderful combination of fresh corn right off the cob, a mayonnaise-sour cream sauce, spices, and cotija cheese.
It's savory, a little sweetness from the corn, spicy and delicious, and can be used for a side dish, appetizer dip, or just eaten right out of the bowl. I'm going to eat it as an entre and rename it to Mexican Corn Salad for that meal!
Bret and I had the last batch of this for lunch with a handful of chips. So good.
What is Cotija Cheese?
Cotija is a crumbly Mexican cheese with a mildly pungent flavor. It's not a cheese you would slice and snack on, and is best mixed into a recipe or lightly crumbled on top of a finished product.
A lot of people think feta is a good substitute; however, if you need it to melt into a recipe like Mexican Street Corn, I recommend using grated (not shredded) parmesan or a mozzarella/parmesan mix. I've found that Feta doesn't melt very well.
My husband prefers this dish warm, but I thought it was a little better room temperature.
It seems like the flavors ready come to the forefront when it's room temperature. That also makes it a good appetizer or snack to take to a get-together. It drives me nuts looking for appetizers that don't have to be warm or hot!
One thing we do agree on is that this Mexican Street Corn is muy delicioso. It will absolutely be served as a side the next time we make homemade enchiladas or tacos.
If you want a recipe for easy Mexican Street Corn - this is definitely it!
Need More Appetizer Ideas? Here you go:
- Cream Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Dates (sweet, salty, and best of all - bacon!)
- Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip
- Mini-Cheesy Sausage Bites
Mexican Street Corn
Fresh corn off the cob mixed with a creamy, cheesy, spicy sauce. Enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 C fresh corn (4 large or 5 smaller ears)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 medium fresh jalapeno, cored and minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon taco seasoning
- ¼ C mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about ½ lime)
- ½ C cotija cheese (plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top)
- 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro (plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the corn, spreading out into as much of a single layer as you can. Let the corn cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Stir, then spread the corn evenly again and let cook another 2 to 2 ½ minutes until lightly charred.
- Add the jalapeno, onion powder, and taco seasoning*, and stir to combine. Lower heat and stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and cotija. Stir until the cheese is mostly melted into the mixture.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Let cool for a few minutes, then taste to see if it needs a little salt. Pour into a small serving bowl and top with the teaspoon of cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve warm or room temperature with tortilla chips and/or crackers.
Notes
*If you don't have access to taco seasoning, use 1 ½ teaspoon of chili powder, along with ¼ teaspoon of cumin, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, 2 pinches of cayenne, and a little salt and black pepper.
If you don't want to use butter to char the corn, use a teaspoon of olive oil.
I highly recommend fresh corn off the cob, but if you can't get any, use frozen corn that's been thawed and patted dry.
No cotija cheese in your local grocery, substitute grated (not shredded) parmesan or a mozzarella/parmesan mix.
If you want this a little spicier, add a couple of pinches of cayenne.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 193Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 5g
Nutrition Values are Approximate
Sherry Beamer
This is wonderful.....Doug added onions and black beans. Great!