Elotes (Mexican Street Corn) Recipe
Elotes, or Mexican Street Corn, is a vibrant and savory snack featuring grilled or air-fried corn slathered in a creamy mixture of mayonnaise and Mexican crema, then dusted with salty cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh cilantro, served with lime wedges for an extra zesty kick. This recipe offers two methods: traditional grilling or air frying, both delivering deliciously charred and flavorful corn perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Total Time: 20-22 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Grilling and Air Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
For the Corn
- 6 ears corn, shucked and rinsed
- Vegetable oil, for brushing if air frying
For the Topping
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1/3 cup grated cotija cheese
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Grill or Air Fryer: If grilling, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and allow it to heat for about 5 minutes. If using a grill pan, preheat it over medium-high heat. For air frying, preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C).
- Cook the Corn: For grilling, place the shucked and rinsed corn onto the grill, turning frequently until all sides develop a light char, about 10 minutes. For air frying, trim the corn to fit the basket, possibly halving the cobs, brush them all over with vegetable oil, and cook in batches at 400°F, turning halfway through, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Prepare the Creamy Sauce: While the corn is cooking, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Mexican crema or sour cream, mixing until smooth and well blended.
- Assemble the Elotes: Transfer the cooked corn to a serving platter. Brush each ear generously with the mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle evenly with grated cotija cheese, chili powder, and freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve: Serve the elotes warm or at room temperature with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top just before eating.
Notes
- If cotija cheese is unavailable, a crumbly feta may be used as a substitute.
- For extra heat, add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the mayonnaise mixture.
- Mexican crema can be substituted with sour cream if not available.
- Brush the corn with butter instead of oil for richer flavor when grilling.
- Elotes are best served fresh but can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Keywords: Elotes, Mexican Street Corn, grilled corn, air fryer corn, cotija cheese, Mexican snack, chili powder corn
Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/elotes-mexican-street-corn-recipe/
