Mexican Street Corn (Elote Recipe)

Mexican Street Corn or “Elote” is covered with a tangy and spicy crema sauce and topped with crumbled cotija cheese. It takes just one bite to realize why Mexican grilled corn on the cob is so popular. Big thank you to Reynolds Wrap® who sponsored this recipe.

The flavor profile of this Mexican corn is similar to the sauce on our famous Fish Tacos. Make this elote corn for your next party and you will get recipe requests.

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What is an Elote?

Elote, pronounced ‘ee-low-tay’ is a side dish of sweet grilled corn on the cob, smothered with a mixture of crema (or sour cream), mayonnaise, and spices. The combination of sweet and slightly charred corn with the spicy sauce is irresistibly good. Elote is a popular vendor street food sold during Mexican festivals which is why it’s referred to as Mexican Street Corn.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn:

Mexican Street corn is really easy to prepare. Start by making Grilled Corn in Foil. We love making Mexican Elote with Reynolds Wrap® Heavy-Duty Foil because it’s the best foil on the market. It’s sturdy so you only need to wrap the corn in a single layer for perfect results every time. We don’t have to worry about our food burning in Reynolds Wrap®. It also makes prep, serving, and cleanup easy.

1. Grill Corn: Use just enough foil to cover the corn once, overlapping slightly and tucking in the edges. We double wrap for a camp-fire. See our full tutorial on grilling corn in foil.

2. Partially Unwrap: Once the corn is grilled, let it rest inside the foil 10 minutes then peel back the foil to expose most of the corn, but keep the foil under the cob to use as a dish/ holder to avoid getting sauce on your hands.

3. Make Sauce: Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl then smother the corn in sauce and sprinkle with chili powder, a generous amount of cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro to serve.

How to Serve Elote Corn:

Serve the smothered corn right out of the foil ‘boats’ that you grilled the corn in to keep your hands clean and your guests will appreciate it. Mexican corn is perfect as a side dish and pairs really well with:

• Grilled Salmon with garlic lime butter
• Pan-Seared Steak – with rosemary butter
• Juicy Cheeseburgers with secret sauce
• Grilled Shrimp Skewers with cajun butter
• Carnitas – Mexican pulled pork

Why Grill Corn in Foil?

This recipe goes from the grill to the table using the same foil. It’s so convenient to make and serve with Reynolds Wrap® Heavy-Duty Foil. Here’s why we love it:

• Make-ahead – you can pre-wrap the corn in advance and refrigerate until ready to use
• No pre-soaking or waiting required, simply wrap and grill the corn
• Great for any kind of grill – gas, charcoal, wood, or smoker, and you can even double wrap to grill it over a campfire
• Even cooking – the foil protects food over direct heat to evenly cook corn without burning
• Serve in Reynolds Wrap® Foil – to keep hands clean while enjoying saucy Mexican corn
• Easy cleanup – no mess and no dishes

Grilling Safety Tip: when removing foil-wrapped corn from the grill, use tongs and please be very careful opening as the packet and steam inside will be extremely hot.

More Authentic Mexican Recipes:

If you love Mexican food, try our top-rated Mexican recipes. These sweet and savory recipes always get rave reviews and you’re sure to find some new favorites in this list.

• Ceviche – a crowd-pleasing shrimp salsa
• Pico de Gallo – one trick will make it taste authentic
• Guacamole – creamy, chunky, classic guac
• Churros – a Mexican dessert that is best homemade
• Tres Leches Cake – a super moist and unforgettable cake

Print

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote Recipe)

5 from 7 votes

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Mexican Street Corn or "Elote" is sweet corn on the cob smothered with a tangy and spicy crema sauce and topped with crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro.

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $10-$12 (varies by season)

Keyword: elote, grilled Mexican corn, Mexican street corn

Cuisine: Mexican

Course: Side Dish

Calories: 220 kcal

Servings: 8 cobs of corn

Ingredients

• 8 cobs of corn
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped (reserve some for garnish)
• 1 garlic clove finely minced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (plus lime wedges to serve)
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese (crumbled)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder to garnish

Instructions

1. Shuck corn and wrap in a single layer of Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil to fully enclose the corn then grill corn in foil.

2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayo, cilantro, minced garlic, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice. Stir to blend and set aside.

3. Partially unwrap corn to cool for a few minutes before applying sauce. Keep the foil under the corn to be used for serving the corn.

4. Using a basting brush, generously brush on the sauce and sprinkle generously with cotija cheese. Garnish with chili powder and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote Recipe)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 221mg10%

Potassium 284mg8%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 408IU8%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 68mg7%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclosure