Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Slathered with a creamy, tangy sauce and dusted with chili powder and cotija cheese, this Mexican street corn takes your corn on the cob up a notch.
By Exeter Produce
Jul 23, 2025Prep Time
15Cook Time
10Servings
8Nutritional Info
Per serving (8 servings) Serving size: 1 ear corn Calories: 208 Fat: 13 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 20 g Sugar: 7 g Fiber: 2 g Protein: 7 g Sodium: 313 mg Cholesterol: 22 mgM
exican street corn, or elote, is a drip-down-your-chin juicy corn on the cob snack sold by street vendors all over Mexico and the American Southwest. In Spanish, the word for corn is elote, and the vendors are often referred to as eloteros. The corn is typically boiled or chargrilled, slathered with a creamy and tangy sauce, dusted with chili powder and cotija cheese, and served on a wooden stick, similar to a popsicle. This chargrilled version is quick and easy to prepare, and it makes a fabulous side dish to burgers, tacos, carne asada, or tequila lime chicken.
Ingredients
¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
8 ears corn, shucked
1 cup finely crumbled cotija cheese (see note)
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Chipotle chile powder, for sprinkling
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
Heat the grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Place the ears of corn directly on the grill (no need to oil the corn or the grill first). Grill the corn, covered, turning occasionally, until the corn is cooked through and lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
Let the corn sit for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Combine the cotija cheese and cilantro on a large, flat plate. Using a pastry brush, coat each ear of corn with the mayonnaise/sour cream mixture and then lightly roll each ear in the cotija/cilantro mixture. Sprinkle each ear all over with a pinch of chipotle chili powder. Serve warm with lime wedges.
Note: Most large supermarkets carry cotija cheese (look for it near the Mexican cheeses or the feta cheese), but if you're unable to find it, feta cheese makes a good substitute.
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Located in Southwestern Ontario, Exeter Produce is a grower and packer with over six decades of food handling experience.
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