Free Recipe
Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Charred grilled corn slathered in a creamy, tangy, chili-spiced sauce and topped with crumbled cheese. This is one of the fastest, most crowd-pleasing sides you can put on a grill.
Prep10 min
Cook12 min
Total22 min
ServingsServes 6 as a side
DifficultyEasy
Rating★ 4.7
Why You'll Love This
- Bold, tangy, smoky-charred flavor
- Ready in about 20 minutes
- Great alongside any grilled meat
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh corn, husked
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat, about 400 to 450 degrees F, and clean the grates well.
- Rub each ear of corn all over with the vegetable oil.
- Place the corn directly on the grill grates and cook, turning every 2 to 3 minutes with tongs, until charred black spots appear on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes total; the kernels should be tender when pierced with a knife.
- While the corn grills, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime zest, and salt in a small bowl to make the sauce.
- Remove the corn from the grill and let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes, just enough to handle without burning your fingers.
- Using a brush or the back of a spoon, coat each ear generously with the mayonnaise-lime sauce on all sides.
- Sprinkle the crumbled cotija cheese over the sauced corn, pressing gently so it sticks.
- Dust with a little extra chili powder and the chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Tips
- Turn the corn often on the grill rather than leaving it in one spot; you want scattered char marks, not one fully blackened side.
- Coat the corn with sauce while it is still warm so the cheese sticks well and the flavors soak in slightly.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 260
Protein: 6g
Fat: 19g
Carbs: 20g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 380mg
