Mexican
Elote-Style Corn
Corn coated in a little mayonnaise, cotija, chili, and lime. Grill it if the grill is already on. Otherwise a skillet and a cover will char it.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Char is the difference between boiled corn and this.
- Mayonnaise, cheese, chili, and lime are the whole dressing.
- You can grill or use a skillet.
- It is a side, and also a snack.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Brush the corn with oil.
- 2
Grill over medium-high, turning, until charred in spots, about 8 to 10 minutes. Or cook in a covered skillet over medium-high, turning, for the same time.
- 3
Brush with mayonnaise while hot.
- 4
Sprinkle with chili powder and cotija.
- 5
Add cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
- 6
Serve warm.
Pro tips
- The corn should have black spots, not a uniform tan.
- Mayo on hot corn melts into a coating. Cold corn just looks pasted.
- Cotija is salty. Taste before you add extra salt. You probably do not need it.
Easy substitutions
- Cotija
- Feta.
- Mayonnaise
- Mexican crema or sour cream.
- Ears of corn
- 4 cups thawed frozen corn, charred in a hot dry skillet.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Best immediately. Refrigerate up to 1 day.
Reheating
Rewarm in a skillet. Add a fresh squeeze of lime.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop, Grill
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
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A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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