Elotes Recipe – Grilled Street Corn

Difficulty:

1/5

Serves:

4 PEOPLE

Prep Time:

10 minutes

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Elotes Recipe – Grilled Street Corn (Mexico)

Elotes Recipe brings together charred sweet corn with creamy mayo-crème and cotija cheese, creating a dish that’s perfect for taco nights or summer barbecues. Featured on Global Street Eats, this recipe combines buttery grilled corn with chili-lime seasoning and fresh cilantro for a bold, messy street food experience that’s easy to recreate at home.

Charred sweet corn slathered in creamy mayo-crème, rolled in salty cotija, dusted with chili-lime fire—Mexico City’s ultimate street snack. Sweet-smoky crunch meets cool creaminess in every messy, addictive bite.

The Inspiration

Elotes vendors line Mexico City’s streets from dawn markets to midnight taquerias, grilling corn over charcoal while shouting “¡Eloteeee!” to hungry crowds. What makes elotes legendary? The ritual: hot corn slathered with mayo-crème mixture, rolled in cotija cheese, dusted with Tajín-style chili-lime, and finished with cilantro squeeze—creating perfect sweet-smoky-creamy-spicy harmony. Devan Rajkumar captures authentic elotes technique on Global Street Eats episode 1008, adapting charcoal stall magic for home grills while preserving the messy, finger-licking joy that defines Mexican street food. This isn’t corn on the cob—it’s a national obsession served on every corner.

Ingredients

4 ears of corn, husks removed
2 tbsp (29.6ml) butter, melted
¼ cup (60ml) mayonnaise
¼ cup (60ml) Mexican crema or sour cream
½ cup (120ml) crumbled Cotija cheese or crumbled feta cheese
½ tsp (2.5ml) chili-lime seasoning, plus more for garnish
1 lime cut into wedges
¼ cup (60ml) chopped cilantro leaves

Methods

Brush the corn with butter and place on a grill or grill pan on high heat. Cook the corn, turning regularly, until it is charred all around, about 10 minutes.
Mix together the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, most of the Cotija or feta cheese, and chili lime seasoning in a large shallow bowl or plate. Roll the corn cobs one at a time in the mixture and transfer them to a serving platter.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese, chopped cilantro leaves, and some more chili-lime seasoning over the corn to garnish. Serve with lime wedges.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Elotes Recipe straight from grill to street-style foil tray lined with parchment paper, surrounded by lime wedges and extra Tajín shaker for DIY customization that captures Mexico City market chaos, perfect for taco Tuesday feasts, Cinco de Mayo parties, or summer cookouts where messy hands signal great food. Pair with ice-cold Mexican Coke, horchata, or jamaica agua fresca to balance creamy-spicy richness while cilantro brightness cuts through cheese, creating addictive bite-after-bite compulsion.

For family-style dinners, arrange cobs on wooden boards with communal crema bowl for double-dipping, turning simple side into main event that disappears before main course arrives. Kids love handheld mess, adults crave charred perfection—universal crowd pleaser ready in 15 minutes for last-minute gatherings.

Final Thoughts

This Elotes Recipe captures Mexican street food magic—sweet summer corn transformed by charcoal char, creamy tang, salty cotija, and chili-lime fire into national treasure. Devan Rajkumar’s Global Street Eats version makes authentic elotero technique accessible while preserving messy joy that defines great street food. The true test? Empty platters and sauce-covered smiles. Whether grilling for taco nights or introducing friends to proper Mexican corn, elotes converts everyone instantly—proof that simple ingredients make unforgettable dishes.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!