Easy Mexican Street Corn with Tajin (Elote)
Blow away your taste buds with this Mexican street corn with Tajin. It’s easy to get the taste of authentic elote at home with a few simple ingredients!
Grill or roast ears of corn on the cob, then slather them with mayonnaise and sour cream or Mexican crema. Top them to your heart’s desire with cotija, Tajin, and cilantro.
If you want to make a rich and flavorful dip try my Mexican street corn dip!
What is Elote?
Elote is Mexican street corn on the cob. It’s served as a snack or a small meal. You can find this tasty Mexican corn in street food carts throughout Mexico and the United States. It has become very popular. And for good reason!
This flavorful preparation is the best way to eat corn on the cob! There are lots of variations, but this classic version is my favorite! It is simple and easy to replicate authentic street corn at home. It only requires 6 ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store.
Ingredients for Making Mexican Street Corn with Tajin
Fresh, sweet corn on the cob is the best corn for making elote. It is fresh, juicy, and begging to be grilled.
Mayonnaise serves as a coating for the toppings to stick to, a carrier of the flavors, and provides moisture.
Sour Cream or Mexican crema mixed into the coating provides a tangy and cooling flavor.
Crumbled cotija cheese adds a mild, salty flavor and a contrasting texture to the sweet corn.
Tajin chili lime seasoning replaces the chili powder and lime juice often used in elote and provides a complex, sour and salty flavor.
Chopped fresh cilantro takes it over the top and brings an extra level of freshness. If you’re a cilantro hater, you can leave it out.
Variations & Substitutions for Mexican Street Corn
Use frozen corn on the cob: You don’t need to thaw them first. Rub the frozen corn lightly with oil, then place directly on the hot grill. It will take a little longer than using fresh corn. Or, you can follow the oven-roasted directions using frozen corn. Increase the oven time to 30 minutes.
Roast it in the oven: If you don’t have a grill, roast the corn in the oven instead. Wrap each prepared ear in foil and bake at 425℉ for 20 minutes. See the recipe card for the full instructions.
Make it lighter and healthier: Use reduced fat mayo and sour cream and Tajín Clásico Reduced Sodium Seasoning.
Use chili powder and lime juice: Replace the Tajin with chili powder and squeeze limes over at the end.
Make it spicy: If you want your street corn extra spicy, top it with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn with Tajin at Home
First shuck your corn and remove all the silks. Remove the shucks but leave an inch or two of the stalk to use as a handle.
Prepare your grill. Clean it, oil the grates, and preheat it to medium-high heat.
Grill the ears of corn for about 10 minutes. Give them a nice char all around.
Mix the mayonnaise and Mexican crema or sour cream together and rub it all over the grilled corn.
Give each ear a generous coating of cotija then sprinkle with Tajin until your heart says “enough.”
Top it all off with chopped cilantro. Unless you’re a cilantro hater. I don’t understand you, but I respect it.
How to serve Mexican Corn with Tajin
- An afternoon snack with a dressed beer or a grapefruit margarita.
- As an appetizer.
- As a side dish with your favorite Mexican foods.
- Serve it at your backyard summer barbeque. It is a perfect accompaniment to anything grilled or smoked.
What to Serve with Street Corn
- Serve it as a side for chili lime shrimp tacos or spicy potato soft tacos.
- Fresh salsa like my peach pico de gallo, or black bean and corn salsa & tortilla chips.
- Serve it with some juicy grilled chicken breast and crispy potato bites.
Do you love street corn and Tajin as much as I do? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your elote pics! @mandiofthemountains
PrintMexican Street Corn with Tajin (Elotes)
Easy Mexican street corn at home. Grilled or roasted. Seasoned with Tajin chili lime, cotija, cilantro, mayonnaise, and sour cream or cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 ears of corn 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn on the cob
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 teaspoons Tajin seasoning (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Shuck the corn. Remove all shucks and silks, but leave an inch or two of the stalk. You can use it as a handle. Set the corn aside.
- Prepare the grill. Start with clean grill grates, then oil the grates while the grill is cold. To make it easy, dip a wadded-up paper towel in cooking oil, making sure it is not dripping. Hold the oil-soaked paper towel with tongs and rub the grates. Preheat the grill to medium-high with the lid shut. Aim for about 400℉.
- Grill the corn: Rub the corn with a thin layer of oil. Grill it over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Continue to grill until all sides have a nice layer of char.
- Top the street corn. Mix the sour cream and mayonnaise together and rub the grilled ears of corn with a layer of the sour cream/mayo mix. Sprinkle with a generous layer of cotija, coating all sides. Then sprinkle with plenty of Tajin. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy!
Notes
How to make roasted corn in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425℉
- Shuck the corn as described above, leaving a handle for holding while eating.
- Rub the corn with a thin layer of oil, then wrap each ear individually in aluminum foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
- Unwrap and top as described above.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ear
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 1492.5 mg
- Fat: 18.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.5 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 8.9 g
- Cholesterol: 25.8 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Tajín is a brand of seasoning. It’s a blend of chili, lime, and salt. And it packs a flavorful punch. It’s not hot. The chili flavor is mellow and mild. Tajín is more sour than spicy. The lime flavor is bold! Tajín is delicious and versatile! It is a perfect way to give elote or street corn a burst of chili and lime flavor. It is also great sprinkled over sliced fruit such as apples, mango, or watermelon. Use it to season shrimp for shrimp tacos, rim cocktail glasses, or dress a beer. You can buy Tajin at most grocery stores. You can find it in the Mexican food section. It may also be in the spice aisle. You can also order Tajin online.
The best corn to use is freshly picked sweet corn. Get it from your garden or barter with a friend or family member for fresh summer corn! You can also find fresh sweet corn at farmers markets or produce stands in summer and early fall. If you can’t get fresh sweet corn, you can use frozen corn on the cob to make Mexican street corn.
Not at all! It is bursting with flavor, but the Tajin is not spicy. You can make it spicy by adding a sprinkle of cayenne powder.
Yes! You can make roasted elote by roasting the ears of corn in the oven. I’ve included instructions in the recipe card.
This is perfect. I don’t have a grill and am so glad that you included an oven baked option.