Mexican Street Corn Off the Cob (Easy Elote Corn Dip)

My semi-famous (at least in Summertown, Tennessee 😆) corn dip recipe! This is my favorite Mexican street corn off the cob, and I’ve been making and tweaking it for years until it became the version that keeps getting me invited back to parties (literally).

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big flavor with simple ingredients - creamy, tangy, cheesy, smoky, and spicy.

• Quick & Easy to make ahead - great for cookouts, parties, taco night, or to bring to someone’s house.

• Works as a side or a dip - serve it with dinner or scoop it up with tortilla or corn chips.

• Flexible - you can adjust the heat, cheese, or lime to your taste.

• A tried-and-true crowd favorite - you may become known for it and asked to bring it again and again!

Ingredient Notes

• Corn: Fresh & canned are called for! I haven't tried frozen.

• Cotija cheese: This gives the most traditional salty, crumbly flavor. Any Mexican crumbling cheese is a good substitute if cotija is hard to find.

• Mayonnaise: This gives the corn its creamy base and helps the seasonings cling to every bite - I love using Duke's.

• Lime: Fresh lime juice is a must; it brightens the whole dish and balances the richness!

• Cilantro: More is more here. Don't serve this dish to cilantro haters. 🧼

• Chili seasoning: The recipe calls for Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend but if you can't find it/ don't have time to order it, you can substitute with Tajin, chili powder, and a dash of cumin.

  
  

  Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend - https://amzn.to/4qoo1l5

  Tajin - https://amzn.to/4gCYTDO

  
  

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Off the Cob

1. Brown the Corn & Season Melt 1 TBSP of Mayo (yes, mayo) in a pan on medium heat. Add fresh corn. Roast on medium for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the outsides of the kernels are lightly browned. Add drained canned corn. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, LODGE Southwest seasoning, and chili powder, and heat until the mixture is warmed through. While this is cooking, finely chop your whole head of cilantro finely, including the stems within the leaves.
   

2. Add the Cheese Remove mixture from heat to another large bowl. Add crumbled cheese until combined and the cheese is a little melty. (Cheese should break apart easily in your hands)
   

3. Add Cilantro, Lime & Mayo Add mayonnaise, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir until combined. Be mindful of the mayonnaise added; too much can make the mixture too runny. Start with 1 TBSP at a time and add up to 3TBSP.
   

4. Finishing Touches Sprinkle with extra crumbled cheese if desired, LODGE Southwest seasoning (or chili powder), and cilantro. Serve warm immediately as a side dish, or with corn chips or tortilla chips as a dip!

Evelyn’s Tips

• Less is more with the Mayo! You can't take it out, but you can always add more.

• If you like more of a roasted corn flavor, grilling the corn before cutting it off the cob and adding it in after your canned corn has cooked is a great way to add in more flavor.

• If your limes are small, use the juice of two limes!

• I've learned a lot of Mexican restaurants don't strip their cilantro. Lots of flavor is found in the stems! I personally don't cut past the last inch of cilantro leaves leading down to the stem, and I finely chop both the leaves and stems together. You don't want a huge piece of stem running around!

Mexican Street Corn Recipe