Mexican Street Corn Dip

This easy Mexican street corn dip is a fun take on traditional elotes. It takes the classic flavors of grilled corn, Cotija, cilantro, lime, and chilis. Then, transforms them into a cheesy, creamy, irresistible dip.

Variations of Mexican street corn are my favorite way to enjoy the summer corn harvest. We love making traditional elote with Tajin as a snack or side dish. We sometimes make esquites to serve as a salad. And when we need a delicious and crowd-pleasing dip, we make the best Mexican street corn dip!

You can serve it cold or warm. You can easily double or half the recipe. Try it in chicken quesadillas or use it as a dressing for chicken salad. 

I’ve been making this dip for years. It always gets requested at parties. Kids and adults love it. It seems like every grocery store has some version of Mexican street corn dip in their deli now. I’ve tried versions from Publix, Aldi, Kroger, and even United Supermarkets deep in West Texas. They’re all fine. I mean, I really like corn dip. But no store-bought one has compared to my easy homemade recipe. 

This is so easy to make. After grilling the corn, cut it off the cob and stir everything together. And don’t worry, grilling corn is quick. 

I’ve covered a few variations and substitutions in the ingredients section. Just in case you have a hard time finding any of the ingredients. Don’t forget to check out the printable recipe card for the exact amounts and instructions! 

Ingredients

Fresh corn on the cob or frozen fire-roasted corn

I love making this with sweet corn on the cob in summer. Grilling it yourself will give you the tastiest corn for making this dip. If you freeze corn on the cob from your garden, you can grill the frozen corn! Remember to scrape off all the yummy bits of corn, just like when making creamed corn.

If you don’t have corn on the cob, you can buy a 12-ounce bag of frozen fire-roasted corn kernels. Cook them according to the package directions. Then, cool and drain them before mixing them into the dip.

A Creamy Base

Sour cream and mayonnaise give this dip a creamy and tangy base and act as a carrier for all the yummy, bold flavors. Resist the temptation to add cream cheese to your Mexican street corn dip. Its texture takes away from the authentic Elotes flavor. 

Bold Flavors

The New Mexico style Hatch Green Chiles are my favorite canned green chiles for this dip recipe. You’ll need a 4-ounce can of them. Use hot or mild, depending on your taste. The canned green chiles will usually be in the Mexican food section at the grocery store.

Cilantro adds a bright and fresh flavor.

Fresh squeezed lime juice adds acidity to further brighten this dip. It provides contrast to the rich and creamy base.

Crumbled cotija cheese gives this dip an authentic street corn taste. If you can’t find it, you can substitute crumbled feta for a similar taste.

Use pre-shredded cheese in this dip. It works best since it doesn’t stick together. I use a Mexican-style four-cheese blend with Monterey Jack, queso quesadilla, and Asadero cheeses. Walmart’s Great Value sells it as Fiesta Blend. You can use shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese if you can’t find a Mexican blend.

Smoked paprika, cayenne powder, and salt give it a flavor boost! You can use regular paprika if you don’t have the smoked version. I highly recommend keeping a bottle of smoked paprika in your pantry. Don’t skip the cayenne. It’s not enough to make the dip hot. It just makes the flavors pop!

Variation: Make it Spicy

As written, this street corn dip is bold and flavorful but not very hot and spicy. Add a kick by increasing the cayenne to 1/2 a teaspoon and stirring in your favorite Mexican hot sauce. We love Tapatio and Valentina.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Dip

Shuck the corn and remove all the silks.

Grill the corn until it has some char all around.

Cut the corn off the cob. Make sure to scrape all of the juicy bits of corn off.

Add everything to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

How to Heat It Up

Place in a microwave-safe dish and microwave in 30-second intervals until warm.

How to Serve Street Corn Dip

• With margaritas or beer. It’s tasty with tortilla chips and an ice-cold grapefruit margarita. 
• It’s a great meal prep dish to make and keep for snacking throughout the week.
• Make it for parties and potlucks.
• Serve it with tortilla chips, Fritos scoops, or baked pita chips.
• Use it as a filling for quesadillas or jalapeno poppers.
• It makes a yummy topping for nachos. 
• Use it as a dressing for chicken salad.

More Ways to Use Fresh Corn

• Elotes with Tajin
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa
• Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Corn

What’s your favorite way to enjoy the summer corn harvest? Let me know in the comments!

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