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Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)

Learn how to make Mexican Corn on the Cob, a street food called Elote. It’s grilled and has the most delicious topping all over it.

Elote is the name for a classic Mexican way of making corn on the cob. It’s really easy to make but the flavor is unbeatable. It’s creamy, cheesy, a bit sweet, and a bit sour. A really perfect combination.

Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.

The Flavorful Spread On The Elote

First, you make a creamy spread for the corn cobs. Some people use straight mayonnaise as the base. Others mix mayonnaise with sour cream or Mexican crema. I opted for a mixture of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt because I wanted that bit of tang.

To that mayonnaise mixture, you add chili powder and garlic. You can optionally add chopped cilantro. I always do but I know that not everybody likes the distinctive flavor that it has. This spread is going to be critical to getting the cheese to stick to the corn. More on that in a bit!

How To Cook The Corn

Next up, you grill the corn. Shuck the corn cobs and put them on the grill over direct medium heat. Turn them every so often so that some kernels are nice and brown on all sides.

If you don’t want to grill the corn, you can, of course, cook it another way. One quick way is to put 2 corn cobs on a microwave-safe dinner plate and microwave them. Here’s how I microwave corn on the cob.

Getting The Cheese To Stick

When the corn is cooked, spread it with the mayonnaise mixture. Spread it all over the entire cobs. This is important because of the next step.

This step. Right here. What you’re going to do is sprinkle the cobs with a crumbly cheese. It’s the mayonnaise mixture that gets the cheese to stick to the cobs. Brilliant, right?

What Kind Of Cheese To Use On Elote?

What kind of cheese do you use? Traditional Elote uses cotija cheese. My grocery store doesn’t sell it though, so I go with either feta or crumbly queso fresco. Crumble the cheese up very finely and then sprinkle it on the cobs, turning them so that the cheese ends up on all sides.

Finally, you squeeze a bit of lime onto the cobs, again turning them to get it on all sides.

What To Serve With Elote

My dream meal to base around this Elote starts with a Mexican Shrimp Cocktail as an appetizer. Then, we dive into some classic Carne Asada served alongside the Elote. Or, you could do this Elote Corn Salad and use it along with the Carne Asada in Tacos. That would be amazing! I can’t wait for you to try this! -Christine xo

More Delicious Corn Recipes

You can browse all my side dish recipes (there’s over 100 of them!) but here are some more great options if you love corn.

Podcast Episode On Making Mexican Corn On The Cob

Listen to me briefly explain how this corn is made, with great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:

Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.

Print

Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote) Recipe

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Mexican

DESCRIPTION

Learn how to make Mexican Corn on the Cob, a street food called Elote. It’s grilled and has the most delicious topping all over it.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt, sour cream, or Mexican crema
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 4 shucked cobs of corn
  • 1/2 cup finely crumbled cotija cheese, feta cheese, or queso fresco
  • 1/2 of a lime, cut into 4 wedges

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill for direct grilling over medium heat.
  2. In a small bowl mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, chili powder, garlic, and cilantro, if using.
  3. Shuck the corn and put the cobs on the grill.
  4. Cook, turning often, until the corn kernels are cooked and some of them have browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from grill.
  5. Spread cobs all over with the mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle all over with the cheese, turning cobs to evenly coat.
  6. Squeeze one lime wedge over each cob, turning to get lime all over. Serve!

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This post originally appeared in August 2016 and was revised and republished in August 2023.