Mexican Street Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Name: Mexican Street Corn on the Cob (Elote)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 39 min
Ingredients: 6 ears corn on the cob (yellow or multi-colored corn is best for more contrast); Water for boiling the corn on the cob; 1/4 cup Mexican crema (table cream); 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic; 1/4 teaspoon salt (or add to taste); 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin; Dressing; Light sprinkle of salt on each ear of corn (Optional); 1 teaspoon chili powder (or "chile" powder (ancho, pasilla or New Mexico red chiles); add to taste); 3 tablespoons finely crumbled Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese) (or add to taste); 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or add to taste); 2 whole limes (each lime cut into 6 wedges)

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by Nancy

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This Mexican street corn, covered in a creamy dressing and toppings, is easy to make and perfect as a side dish or snack.

Mexican street corn is such a colorful and eye-catching side dish.

And it also pairs nicely with other side dishes such as potato salad, macaroni salad, green salads or fruit salad.

I especially like the combination of flavors in this Mexican street corn…there’s a little sweet and a little savory in each bite.

About Mexican Street Corn:

Mexican street corn is also known as “Elote” which means corn or corn on the cob in Spanish.

It’s a common street food in Mexico and may also be found at local fairs and festivals.

When making Mexican street corn, the first step is to cook it.

It’s typically either grilled or boiled.

Then it’s coated in a creamy dressing, toppings are added, and it’s served either whole or on a stick.

About this Recipe:

In this Mexican street corn recipe, the corn on the cob is boiled.

Then it’s covered with dressing that’s made with Mexican crema (table cream), mayonnaise, and spices that include onion powder and cumin.

Next, the toppings are added (chili powder, Mexican cheese, cilantro and lime juice) and it’s served warm.

Since the dressing and crumbled cheese are both white, it’s best if the corn on the cob is either yellow or multi-colored to add contrast.

About the Chili Powder in this Recipe:

In this recipe I used red chili powder, but feel free to substitute the “chili” powder for “chile” powder or a blend of chile powders.

“Chili” powder – (like the kind in a bottle or jar on the spice aisle at the grocery store) has a blend of herbs and spices in it.

“Chile” powder – (generally found in the Hispanic food section at the grocery store) is pure ground chile peppers such as ancho, pasilla or New Mexico red chiles.

Tips on How to Pick a Good Ear of Corn

Shucked Corn on the Cob:

Corn on the cob at the grocery store may already be “shucked” (husks and “silk” or “tassels” removed).

Shucked corn may be sold in a package with multiple ears of corn that are on a styrofoam tray wrapped in cellophane.

Or they may be loose and sold separately by the ear.

Either way, the kernels should be visible.

Try to avoid:

corn on the cob with missing kernels
dried out kernels (dimpled or slightly dented)
mushy kernels

The corn may be old and could be chewy and flavorless.

Corn on the Cob with the Husk on it (not shucked):

When the corn is still in the husk, it’s best not to peel the husk back to look at the corn because this may affect the freshness and cause the kernels to dry out.

Instead of peeling the husk back, check out the outside of the cob (husk, stem and tassel), and feel the kernels through the husk to check for freshness.

Look for a:

bright green husk that is tight to the cob and slightly damp (well hydrated)
light colored stem at the bottom of the cob where it was removed from the stalk in the field
tassel (corn silks coming out of the top of the husk) that’s light brown or gold and is slightly sticky to the touch

Try to avoid husks:

with mildew on the outside
that are dry
with brown holes (may indicate there are insects)
that are turning yellow
that are loose and falling off
with a brown stem at the bottom of the ear of corn
with a tassel that smells like mildew
that have a dry, dark brown or soggy tassel

Also, gently squeeze the ear of corn to feel the kernels through the husk feeling for kernels that are:

plump, firm and plentiful

Try to avoid ears of corn with:

missing kernels
soft spots or soft kernels

Let’s check out the ingredients.

Corn– Corn on the cob (white, yellow or multi-colored) (yellow or multi-colored is best for more color), water for boiling

Dressing – Mexican crema (table cream), mayonnaise, salt, onion powder, granulated garlic and ground cumin

Toppings – Chili powder, Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese), cilantro and fresh lime

Equipment – An 8-quart tall pot (for cooking the corn on the cob), a small size food processor or medium size zipper-seal plastic bag (to crumble the cheese)

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

A printable recipe with the measurements and instructions is located at the bottom of this post.

Prepare the Corn on the Cob:

Remove the husks (shuck the corn) and silk strands from each ear of corn.

Rinse the corn on the cob.

If the tip of the ear of corn has brown or soft kernels, carefully cut that part off.

Boil the Corn:

In a large pot, add just enough water to cover the ears of corn (about 1 quart of water for each ear of corn).

I filled an 8-quart pot a little over half full for the 6 ears of corn in this recipe.

Bring the pot of water to a boil.

Using long tongs carefully add each ear of corn to the pot of water.

As the corn cooks, watch the water level in the pot so that it doesn’t boil over.

If the water level gets too close to the top of the pot, carefully ladle some of the water out of the pot.

Make sure the ears of corn are submerged in water.

If more water is needed in the pot, carefully add just enough to cover each ear of corn.

Turn the heat down to low and simmer until the corn is tender (about 7 to 9 minutes).

Be careful not to overcook the corn or it will be tough.

TIP – If the water starts to boil over the sides of the pot, turn off the heat and using hot mitts, carefully remove the pot from the burner.

Use tongs to transfer each ear of cooked corn from the pot onto a large plate.

Cool the corn just long enough so it’s still warm but can be comfortably handled to add the toppings (about 10 minutes).

While the corn cools, make the dressing, crumble the cheese and chop the cilantro

Toppings:

Dressing

In a small bowl…

…add Mexican crema…

…mayonnaise…

…ground cumin…

…onion powder…

…granulated garlic…

…and salt.

Whisk together…

…until creamy.

Set aside.

Queso Fresco (Mexican Cheese)

Crumble the Cheese – In a small food processor, add the cheese and mix or grind it just long enough to crumble.

Or put the cheese inside a medium size zipper-seal plastic bag and push out as much air as possible before tightly sealing the bag.

Then lightly squeeze the bag until the cheese crumbles.

Set aside.

Cilantro

Chop the cilantro and set aside.

Add the Toppings:

After the corn is cool enough to handle, add the toppings.

Dressing – Using a pastry or cooking brush…

…spread the dressing…

…on all sides of each ear of corn.

Optional – add a light sprinkle of salt on top of the dressing on each ear of corn.

Chili Powder – Sprinkle chili powder on all sides of each ear of corn.

Mexican Cheese…

…top each ear of corn with crumbled queso fresco (Mexican cheese) and chopped cilantro.

Serve

Serve warm with wedges of fresh limes.

Squeeze lime juice on each ear of corn…

…and…

…time to eat.

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

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