Elotes (Grilled Corn With Cheese, Lime and Chile)

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 5(671)
Notes: Read community notes

Whole ears of corn are a classic street food in Mexico, where they are either grilled or boiled, then often dressed with some combination of lime, chile, mayonnaise and grated cheese. This grilled version calls for all of the above, which get mixed together into a creamy, bracing topping, and slathered all over the hot, sweet ears. It's not strictly traditional, but it does make it easier to assemble the corn and its dressing before serving. Or place the various topping in small bowls and let guests have the fun of garnishing their own. And if you don’t have a grill, the broiler works too though watch the ears carefully so they don’t burn.

Featured in: Summer Corn at its Tangiest, Spiciest, Messiest Best

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

6ears fresh corn, shucked
3tablespoons mayonnaise
2limes
¼teaspoon ancho chile powder, more as needed
Fine sea salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
½cup crumbed cotija cheese (or substitute feta or ricotta salata)
¼cup chopped fresh cilantro

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

Step 1
Heat your grill to medium-high. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly charred, 7 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, zest of 1 lime, chile powder, salt and pepper.
Step 3
Slather hot corn with mayonnaise mixture and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Cut limes into wedges and serve alongside corn.

Ratings

5 out of 5

671 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Santosh6 years ago

My favorite ! I love them so much that I have iterated over this again and again and have settled on this mix: 4 tbsp mayo, 4 tbsp crémè fraîche, 1/2 tsp ancho cilli powder, 1/2 cup of cotija cheese and 1/4 cup cilantro.Mix this thoroughly, baste on corn and then sprinkle some Tajin salt all over. Now squueze a 1/4 wedge lime on it

Marty Rosenbluth6 years ago

I find that par-boiling the corn in about 8 cups of water with one cup of milk and about a tablespoon of sugar for about 5-7 minutes makes he corn more tender and adds flavor.

Kevin6 years ago

Sometimes I'll grill corn, cut it off the cob and add the rest of the ingredients here to make a corn salad. It's great for summer potlucks.

Wendy6 years ago

Delicious as written. Also wonderful subbing parmesan for the cotija cheese, and adding a few large pinched of smoked paprika to the mayo mixture. Grilled corn can also be stripped from the cob and gently mixed with the mayo mixture for a warm corn salad.

Lwood6 years ago

This look great, but in Central Illinois we have Sweet Corn that's actually SWEET, so it's rare we try and cover up the flavor.

I'll remember this the next time I'm in Texas.

Eric6 years ago

I made grilled corn like this two nights ago with a Creuset cast iron grill over an electric stove with a fine outcome. It's not a cheap toy, but made to last.

cbokat2 weeks ago

So good, so easy. I used queso fresco because we already had it on hand and that worked well too

Hildegard4 weeks ago

I’d def “parboil” the corn in the husks in the microwave next time so they don’t get all dried out naked on the grill. As I use Tajin, I’ll also back off the lime zest. Smoked paprika and/or chipotle would be nice in the dressing, too, which I make half mayo and half plain yogurt. Yummmmmm

Debbie1 month ago

Add a bit of sour cream & more chili powder.

Kelly1 month ago

Go easy on mayo mixture so it doesn't get gummy...it's mostly a way to help cheese adhere. I also added a sprinkle of tajin for some color and a bit of added zing. Muwhaa!!

Ed C9 months ago

I don't have a grill, so I cooked the corn in the oven under the broiler as suggested. I was SHOCKED at how fast and easy it was and how delicious it turned out. Highest recommendation!

Anne Crawford10 months ago

To make this a five star, add sour cream to the mix and you have a winner!

Naomi G11 months ago

Absolutely delicious both for it’s simplicity and flavor. I went a little heavier on the lime zest and loved it. New summer staple at our home.

too much shredded lemon grass11 months ago

I like to add a little ricotta when I have some; also grated garlic, green onions, for texture

Emily11 months ago

This is so good. So good in fact that I can't believe I hadn't thought to make this before. Added some smoked paprika and lime juice to the mixture. Otherwise made as written. Delicious!!

Name Linda Criss1 year ago

Cook the corn with a smidgen of water and some milk. Take off the cob, add remaining ingredients in to a bowl- spoon this over the hot corn copiously! Eat with sweet butter pickles.

Theresa Cremering1 year ago

Cilla1 year ago

Excellent!!!

bacongougere1 year ago

I did not grill (no outdoor grill and was using the grill pan for asparagus - topped with chopped Mama Lil’s peppers in their oil and some ricotta salata…you’re welcome) but boiled as normal. THIS IS DELICIOUS. Messy, but the best things in life are slightly messy.

Joe A.2 years ago

Easiest I think to do this in a large cast iron pan, as I do.

Meredith2 years ago

We found adding a touch of garlic powder and rather more than a touch of minced red onion makes this even more delicious. I will also second the idea of cutting the corn off the cob after grilling to make this into a salad. It makes it a little easier to take leftovers for lunch... If you ever have leftovers.

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