Elote: Grilled Mexican Street Corn with Mayo, Chile, Lime, and Cotija Cheese Recipe
This Elote recipe is a flavorful twist on traditional Mexican street corn, featuring sweet and smoky grilled corn on the cob slathered with a tangy mayo-lime sauce, dusted with chili powder, topped with crumbly Cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. It’s a perfect smoky, creamy, and zesty side dish or snack that captures the vibrant flavors of Mexico.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Corn
- 4 ears corn, husked
Sauce and Toppings
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or ancho chile powder
- ⅓ cup Cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the corn, ensuring it will get a nice char and smoky flavor.
- Grill the corn: Place the husked ears of corn on the grill, turning them every 3 to 5 minutes. Continue grilling until all sides develop light char marks and the corn is cooked through, about 15 minutes total. Remove from the grill.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with fresh lime juice and lime zest, stirring well to create a tangy, creamy sauce.
- Assemble the elote: Spread the mayo and lime mixture evenly over each grilled ear of corn. Sprinkle with chili powder, crumble Cotija cheese generously over the corn, and top with chopped fresh cilantro.
- Season and serve: Add sea salt to taste. Serve the elote immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing to add an extra burst of fresh flavor.
Notes
- If you prefer to grill corn with the husks on, refer to separate grilled corn recipe instructions for best results.
