This Mexican Corn Dip is made with cotija cheese, crema, smoky spices, and lime juice making it an easy, cheesy, perfect dip for Cinco de Mayo or any party!
Looking for more dip recipes? Be sure to make the popular Rotel Dip or this Cottage Cheese Dip, or this Poblano Queso. They are all so easy and delicious!
Mexican Corn Dip
Mexican street corn dip is just about the best party dip for Cinco de Mayo and I can’t wait for you to try it! Truth be told, it’s a perfect appetizer for any gathering, especially when sweet corn is in season!
Like this Cowboy Caviar, it’s always a favorite and one you’re always trying to keep up with refilling!
As far as Mexican dips go, this checks all the boxes. It’s got all of the flavor elements and ingredients as the popular Mexican street corn and can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold.
Grilled corn does add something extra special, as does the crema and cotija cheese. However, this flexible recipe is still great if you find you need to substitute any ingredients. It’s a simple recipe so full of flavor and texture.
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What is Mexican Street Corn aka Elote?
Mexican street corn is a popular street food that has become a well-loved recipe in North America. It’s grilled corn on the cob, beautiful char marks and all, served with a coating of mayo and sour cream, cotija cheese, chili powder, and a squirt of lime juice to top it off.
One bite and you’re crying happy tears. I kid you not.
Turning it into a delicious, creamy, cheesy dip delivers everything we love about street corn as one of the best quick and easy appetizers!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Corn kernels: Fresh, canned, frozen, or shucked.
- Olive oil: Used to sauté the corn to give them that soft, sweet, and smoky element.
- Mexican crema: It’s very similar to sour cream, so if you can’t get your hands on the crema, go ahead and use sour cream instead. They both deliver the cream textures and the tangy flavor.
- Fresh lime juice: A delicious pop of citrus is the best! It lightens everything up and just adds an explosion of flavor.
- Chili powder & smoked paprika: This pairing is a combination of spicy and smoky and is a great balance between the coolness of the cream and the sour citrus.
- Cotija cheese: This is a cow’s milk crumbly cheese that is a bit similar to feta cheese and has the sharpness of parmesan! In other words, it’s amazing.
- Fresh cilantro: A fresh herb is always a nice addition and if cilantro is not your thing, use parsley instead.
- Crispy Tortilla chips: For dipping! See below for more fun ways to enjoy this dip!
How to Make this Corn Dip Recipe
This recipe will come together in a few steps. Here’s how it’s made.
Step 1: Sauté the corn in a large skillet for 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat until soft and slightly browned. If you’re using whole cobs of fresh corn, brush all sides with olive oil and use a grill or grill pan to cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly charred. I love using my cast iron skillet.
Step 2: Set the corn aside and allow it to cool enough to handle. If using a whole cob, cut the kernels off and into a bowl.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine the crema, lime juice, chili powder, and smoked paprika.
Step 4: Mix everything and then add the corn, cotija, and cilantro. Thoroughly mix and enjoy!
Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature with crispy corn tortillas for scooping.
Can I serve this as a hot Corn Dip?
You can serve it hot, warm, cool, or cold, it’s wonderful any way! Feel free to add the charred corn and the other ingredients to a slow cooker and cook it on low for 2 hours to turn it into a hot elote dip. For parties, set the crock pot to warm if you prefer.
Variations
1. Make it chunkier. Add one diced avocado or ½ cup of red bell peppers.
2. For a cheesier version, add 4 oz of cream cheese or ¼ cup of pepper jack cheese and bake the entire mixture in a baking dish at 350 ° F for 15 minutes. This one you’ll want to serve warm for sure!
3. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic for a little extra pungency.
4. For a spicy corn dip, add chopped jalapeno pepper, green chilis, a tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce, or ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
5. Crema alternatives. Mexican crema is available in most grocery stores near the cotija and queso fresco. If you can’t find it, use mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or sour cream instead.
Recipe Tips
- I love it served warm, I could eat it by the spoonful that way. It’s perfectly delicious cold or room temperature as well.
- Grill the corn on a regular grill if preferred. It is the start of grilling season after all!
- Using charred corn does add an authentic Mexican street corn quality to the dip.
- Easily double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
- Serve it as an appetizer, side dish, or late-night snack!
- Plan to make this the day before. Assemble it completely, keep it in the mixing bowl and cover it up. Store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours and plan to serve it the next day.
How To Store
Keep any leftover Mexican corn dip covered in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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Mexican Street Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn fresh, frozen or 4 ears shucked
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Tortilla chips for dipping
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet and preheat over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the corn and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often until the corn is slightly browned. If using fresh corn, brush the corn kernels with the olive oil on all sides and use a grill or grill pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until it is lightly charred.4 cups corn
- Remove the corn from the heat and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. (Cut the corn kernels off the cob if using whole cob)
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the crema, lime juice, chili powder, and smoked paprika.⅓ cup Mexican crema, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Add the corn, cotija and cilantro to the crema mixture and stir to thoroughly mix together.½ cup crumbled cotija cheese, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Serve at room temperature, warm or cold with tortilla chips.Tortilla chips
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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