Mexican

Serving

Mexican Quick & easy

Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Name: Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked; 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or half mayo, half Mexican crema); 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, finely crumbled; 1 tsp chili powder (like Tajín or pure ancho powder); 1 lime, cut into wedges; Fresh cilantro for garnish

Corn on the cob coated with mayo, cheese, chili powder, and lime.

20 minutes

Serves 4

9 min prep

15 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Preheat Grill: Heat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F/200°C).
2
Grill Corn: Place the shucked corn directly on the grill grates. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the kernels are tender and lightly charred on all sides.
3
Prepare Coating: While the corn grills, spread the mayonnaise on a flat plate and put the crumbled Cotija cheese on another flat plate.
4
Coat the Corn: Immediately after removing the corn from the grill, brush or roll each ear evenly in the mayonnaise until fully coated.
5
Roll in Cheese: Roll the mayo-coated corn in the crumbled Cotija cheese, pressing gently so the cheese adheres.
6
Garnish and Serve: Dust the corn generously with chili powder. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges for squeezing and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Elote (Mexican Street Corn) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Elote (Mexican Street Corn) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

61/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 25

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

250

Calories

4 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

25 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Elote is the quintessential Mexican street snack, grilled corn on the cob slathered with crema, cheese, lime, and chile and sold from carts across the country. When the kernels are cut off and served in a cup it becomes esquites. The interplay of char, tang, salt, and heat on sweet corn is what makes it irresistible.

Listahan note

This version chars the corn hard for smoky depth and balances the creamy coating with plenty of lime and chile. It keeps the classic on-the-cob format with a cup variation noted.

Technique cues

Grill or broil the corn until deeply charred in spots, since that smoky char is half the flavor of elote.
Coat the hot corn while it is still steaming so the crema mixture clings and the cheese sticks.
Finish with lime and chile powder last so the acid stays bright and the chile does not turn pasty in the coating.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Mix the crema coating and crumble the cheese while the corn chars, so dressing happens the moment it comes off the heat.
Make-ahead: Mix the coating and prep the toppings ahead; char and dress the corn just before serving.
Leftover move: Cut leftover kernels off the cob into a cup with extra lime and chile for esquites, or fold into a corn salad.
Cleanup rhythm: Dress the corn over a sheet pan to catch drips, and keep the cheese and chile in shakers for a fast, tidy finish.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

corn on the cob

the base

Purpose: Sweet, fresh corn is the canvas for all the toppings.

Handling: Husk and grill or broil until charred, leaving a handle if serving on the cob.

Adaptation: Off-season, thawed frozen corn charred in a hot pan makes a good esquites cup.

mayonnaise and crema

creamy coating

Purpose: They form the rich layer that everything else sticks to.

Handling: Mix together and slather onto the hot corn.

Adaptation: All crema or sour cream works; a plant-based mayo keeps it dairy-light.

cotija cheese

salty finish

Purpose: This dry, salty cheese is the classic crumble for elote.

Handling: Crumble or grate finely and press onto the coated corn.

Adaptation: Parmesan or feta approximate the salty, dry crumble.

lime

acid

Purpose: Lime cuts the richness and brightens the whole cob.

Handling: Cut into wedges and squeeze over just before eating.

Adaptation: Lemon works in a pinch.

chile powder (Tajin or pure chile)

heat and color

Purpose: A dusting of chile gives elote its signature kick and red flecks.

Handling: Sprinkle over the finished corn to taste.

Adaptation: Smoked paprika gives color and smoke for a no-heat version.

Technique notes

Char over a live flame if you can; the direct fire gives a smokier result than a pan.
Spread the coating in a thin, even layer so every bite gets cheese and chile rather than clumps.
Serve immediately while the corn is hot and the coating is glossy, since it stiffens as it cools.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free option: Use plant-based mayo and a dairy-free cheese or nutritional yeast for the salty finish.
Lower-heat version: Dust with smoked paprika instead of chile powder for kids.
Esquites variation: Cut the kernels off and serve in a cup with the same toppings and a spoon.

Serve alongside

Carne asada tacos
Black bean salad
Grilled chicken
Watermelon with lime and chile
Michelada
Horchata
Watermelon agua fresca

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Elote is best eaten fresh and hot; refrigerate leftover cobs or kernels for up to 2 days and reheat the corn before redressing. The coating separates if stored on the corn, so reapply fresh. Plain charred corn freezes; dress after thawing and reheating.

Equipment

Grill or broiler for charring
Tongs for turning the cobs
Small bowl for the crema coating
Grater or crumbler for the cotija

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