Description
A smoky, creamy, and spicy grilled corn recipe inspired by Mexican street food. This easy summer side dish features charred corn slathered in a tangy mayo-lime sauce and topped with salty cotija cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked and silk removed
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Husk the corn, removing all silk and leaves. Rinse under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Brush the corn lightly with neutral oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Preheat grill to high heat. Place corn directly on grates and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, rotating every 2 minutes, until tender with char marks on all sides.
- While corn grills, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder in a small bowl until smooth.
- Remove corn from grill. While still hot, spread the sauce generously over each cob.
- Sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese, red pepper flakes (if using), and fresh cilantro.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
For best results, ensure corn is dry before grilling to promote charring rather than steaming. Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor. If cotija is unavailable, queso fresco is a good substitute. This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ear of corn
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: grilled corn, elote, street corn, summer recipe, bbq side dish, mexican corn, cotija cheese, easy appetizer