This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
Elote Mexican Street Corn is everything you love about Mexican Street Corn in a casserole dish. Creamy, smokey, spicy, cheesy deliciousness.
Why Everyone Asks Me For This Recipe
- Elote, the Mexican street-style corn, is a delicious and vibrant summer favorite that’s become popular in many countries. This recipe is a twist on Mexican street corn as a corn casserole. It’s a new way to serve corn with a ton of flavor.
- I’ve made this dish more times than I can count and I’ve perfected it over time.
- It is smokey from the grilled corn, creamy from the mayo sauce and cheese, spicy from the chili powder and red pepper flakes, and fresh-tasting from the lime juice and lime zest.
- I discovered this recipe during a summer trip to Sedona, AZ where we had the most amazing Mexican street corn served as a creamy dip called Elote, which is also the name of the restaurant. I decided to make it into a side dish casserole.
Elote Ingredients
Grilled Corn – I grill the corn on the cob and then cut it off when it’s cool. I don’t add anything to it for grilling – just lay it on the grill and let it char.
Lime Juice and Zest – The lime is what gives this recipe a super fresh taste. I use the zest from the entire lime and the juice from 1/2 of it. If the lime isn’t very juicy I will use the juice from the other half.
Cotija Cheese – You can buy Cotija cheese in most grocery stores. It is sometimes labeled Queso Fresco.
How To Make Elote
- Add the mayo, red pepper flakes, chili powder, salt, pepper, lime zest, and lime juice into a small bowl.
- Mix the ingredients until they are creamed together.
- Place grilled corn in a casserole dish, top it with the creamy mayo mixture, and chopped cilantro.
- Mix it all and bake for 20 minutes at 350°.
- Serve with additional cilantro and quartered lime slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Elote means corn-on-the-cob and is a very popular Mexican street food. It is corn that is usually served on the cob stuck on a stick so it can be carried and eaten while on the go. It’s roasted and then covered in a mixture of mayonnaise and Mexican crema covered with butter and chili powder and topped with Cotija cheese.
While I think that the char-grilled flavor of grilled corn adds to the authenticity and rich flavor of this dish, you can certainly use frozen corn. Just use 1 full bag of frozen corn thawed and cooked part-way in the microwave. I would NOT recommend using canned corn.
Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese that is salty and firm. It doesn’t melt so you get nice soft pieces of the Cotija cheese when you bite into a spoonful of Elote.
Cotija cheese reminds me of feta but it’s firmer. They also call it Mexican crumbling cheese so you might expect that it crumbles just like feta. But because of its firmness, I find that you almost have to cut it into small pieces.
1) It’s the perfect cheese to use in a taco salad.
2) You can use it as a garnish in tomato soup or vegetable soup.
3) Try adding it to your Thanksgiving Corn Casserole.
4) Use it on a traditional cheese platter.
Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
- To grill the corn, simply remove the husk and silks, place the ears directly on the grill, and grill for about 12 minutes, rotating the corn at 6 minutes.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and have it ready to pop into the oven 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the meal. You can also grill the corn ahead of time and use it right out of the refrigerator.
- This recipe makes a great leftover dish. Just reheat it in the microwave or oven. I also use the leftovers in my Mexican Street Corn Nachos recipe.
- Need some ideas on what to serve this with? Try any one of these:
- Tacos of course.
- It’s a great side for a summer cookout with burgers and hotdogs.
- Serve it as a side to grilled chicken, beef, or fish.
- Add grilled chicken to the recipe and bake it right in – now you have a full meal.
- Serve it with my Tequila Chicken Fajitas.
More KKM Mexican Inspired Recipes
Elote – Mexican Street Corn
Ingredients
- 4 ears grilled corn on the cob cut off the cob
- 3 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1/2 juice from 1 lime
- Zest from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 6 oz. cotija cheese crumbed or cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and extra for garnish
- lime slices for garnish
Instructions
- Add mayo, red pepper flakes, chili powder, salt, pepper, lime zest, and lime juice into a small bowl.
- Mix the ingredients until they are creamed together.
- Place grilled corn in a casserole dish, and top it with the creamy mayo mixture, the crumbled cheese, and chopped cilantro.
- Gently mix everything, in the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes at 350°.
- Serve this dish with additional cilantro and quartered lime slices.
Notes
- To grill the corn, simply remove the husk and silks, place the ears directly on the grill, and grill for about 12 minutes, rotating the corn at 6 minutes.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and have it ready to pop into the oven 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the meal. You can also grill the corn ahead of time and use it right out of the refrigerator.
- This recipe makes a great leftover dish. Just reheat it in the microwave or oven. I also use the leftovers in my Mexican Street Corn Nachos recipe.
- Need some ideas on what to serve this with? Try any one of these:
- Tacos of course.
- It’s a great side for a summer cookout with burgers and hotdogs.
- Serve it as a side to grilled chicken, beef, or fish.
- Add grilled chicken to the recipe and bake it right in – now you have a full meal.
- Serve it with my Tequila Chicken Fajitas.
This stuff is so addictive!
I totally agree James. I think it’s the cheese and the spice.
Hi Laura. It’s Diane! I made this for a baby shower bbq and everyone went nuts! Making it for 4th of July! Hope you are all well!!!
Hi Diane! I’m so happy to hear that you all loved it. It’s one of our favorites and we have it at most of our family gatherings now. Have a happy July 4th!
How many ears of corn should I use for 80 people?
Hi Kathy
My recipe makes 4 servings and I used 4 ears of corn. So you would need 80 ears of corn to feed 80 people. Sounds like you’ve got a big crowd to feed. Have fun. Let me know how it turns out.
If you need 4 ears of corn to make 4 servings, you need 80 ears of corn for 80 people
I’ve never thought to make a Thanksgiving corn casserole with cotija. Brilliant!
Where and when do you use the cheese?
Add it when you add the creamy mayo mixture along with the cilantro.
I had to double+ the recipe due to the size of my family, but it was a big hit! Topped it with the cojite cheese and Tajin seasoning and there was nothing left!