Sarah's Kitchen / Mexican / Street Food

Elote

Mexican Street Corn — Grilled, Sauced, Perfect

"Mayo. Cheese. Chile. Lime. On corn. Don't question it. Just eat."

25Minutes
6Ears
1/5Difficulty

The Origin

Street corners, plazas, and soccer games — where elote lives.

The People's Corn

Walk through any Mexican city at dusk and you'll find them: eloteros pushing their carts, the smoky smell of grilling corn cutting through the air. Elote is the ultimate street food — simple, messy, absolutely addictive.

The combination seems improbable. Grilled corn on the cob, slathered in mayonnaise (or crema), rolled in crumbled cotija cheese, dusted with chile powder, and finished with a squeeze of lime. It shouldn't work. It works perfectly.

Corn is sacred in Mexico — the foundation of civilization, the heart of the diet, the gift of the gods. Elote is corn at its most celebratory, dressed up for a night out, ready to make you smile.

Esquites is elote's cup-dwelling cousin — same toppings, but the corn is cut off the cob and served in a cup with a spoon. Easier to eat, equally delicious.

"Elote is proof that simple ingredients, combined with love and lime, become magic."

The Ingredients

El Elote — The Corn

Fresh is Best
  • 6Ears of cornHusks removed

La Crema — The Sauce

THE MAGIC
  • ½ cupMayonnaiseFull-fat, always
  • ¼ cupMexican crema or sour cream
  • 1Garlic clove, mincedOptional but excellent

Los Toppings

  • 1 cupCotija cheese, crumbledOr queso fresco
  • 2 tbspChile powderTajín, chile piquín, or cayenne
  • 2Limes, cut into wedges
  • Fresh cilantro (optional)

The Method

01

Grill the Corn (15 min)

1

Heat grill to medium-high (or use a grill pan on the stove).

2

Grill corn, turning every 2-3 minutes, until charred in spots all over — about 10-12 minutes total.

The Char

You want actual char — black spots are good! This adds smoky flavor. Don't be timid.

3

Alternatively, boil corn for 6-8 minutes until tender, then char quickly over an open flame or under the broiler.

02

Prep the Sauce

4

Mix mayonnaise and crema together (and garlic if using). Set aside.

5

Spread cotija cheese on a plate. Have chile powder ready.

03

Assemble (Immediately!)

6

While corn is still hot, slather generously with the mayo-crema mixture. Use a brush or the back of a spoon.

Critical

The corn MUST be hot. Hot corn melts the mayo slightly and makes everything stick.

7

Roll in cotija cheese, pressing to stick. Get it everywhere.

8

Dust generously with chile powder.

9

Squeeze lime over the top. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.

Variations

The elote family.

Esquites (Elote en Vaso)

Cut corn off the cob into a cup. Add all toppings plus a splash of the corn cooking liquid. Eat with a spoon.

Elote with Butter

Some vendors add a smear of butter under the mayo. Decadent and excellent.

Extra Spicy

Add hot sauce (Valentina or Tapatio) and extra cayenne. For those who like to sweat.