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An overhead photo showing three ears of elote or Mexican street corn on a plate.

Elote - Mexican Style Corn on the Cob Recipe

Try this popular Mexican steet food at home. Elote is corn on the cob elevated to another level for sure and so easy to make!
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: corn on the cob, Elote
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 146kcal
Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

  • 4 ears corn
  • ½ cup crema Mexicana optional: mix ¼ cup sour cream and ¼ cup mayonnaise together
  • 2 Tbsp chile lime seasoning
  • ¼ cup cotija cheese
  • ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 Tbsp butter melted
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional: mix into the chile lime seasoning
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Prepare the corn:

  • Preheat your grill to about 500°F.
  • Shuck each ear and place on aluminum foil.
  • Brush lightly with the melted butter. Roll the foil and fold up the ends.
  • Place the wrapped ear on the grill and turn them ¼ turn about every 4 minutes.
  • Optional: Remove each ear from the foil and grill to your desired level of brown or char on each ear. Rotate as you continue to grill.
  • Allow the ears to cool slightly. Tip: If you have disposable wooden chop sticks sharpen them in a pencil sharpener. Insert the stick into each ear and cut to your desired length.

Add the toppings:

  • Brush each ear with the crema Mexicana until well coated.
  • Sprinkle each ear with the chile lime seasoning and cotija cheese. I like to use a baking tray to roll each ear around to get them coated. Optional: Mix the cayenne pepper into the chile lime seasoning for a kick or heat!
  • Toss on the chopped cilantro and serve.

Notes

You can find Elote seasoning at Trader Joe's.  Many stores also sell Tajin which is very similar to the chile lime seasoning.
 

Alternate methods for cooking corn on the cob.

Boiling and steaming method:

  1. Place about 2 inches of water in the bottom of a large pasta pot or Dutch oven and bring it to a boil covered.
  2. Once boiling, place the desired number of ears in the pot. Bring the water to a boil once again while covered.
  3. When the water boils again, time for 5 minutes and the ears will be done.

Microwave method, best for single ears:

  1. Wrap a single ear with two wraps of paper towel.
  2. Wet the paper towel while wrapped around the ear. Get it soaked well.
  3. Place the wrapped ear on a microwave safe plate or baking dish. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
  4. Remove from the microwave and let it rest and slightly cool for about 2 minutes. Unwrap and serve.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1678IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1mg