Grilled Mexican Street Corn - The Carefree Kitchen

This delicious Grilled Mexican Street Corn is the perfect side dish to serve at your next BBQ or summer party. It’s an easy elote recipe made with a delicious smoky lime crema and topped with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.

This recipe is a great way to turn regular grilled corn into something special. Serve with Mexican inspired dishes like carnitas, burritos, and tacos, or just about any other summer menu.

A plate with grilled Mexican street corn topped with cotija cheese, lime crema, and fresh cilantro.

Best Grilled Mexican Street Corn Recipe

This easy grilled Mexican street corn recipe is based on elotes—a super popular Mexican street food. It starts with grilled fresh corn on the cob that is topped with a smoky lime crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro.

The grilled, golden brown kernels of corn have a super sweet and nutty flavor that explodes in your mouth. Paired with the mayo-based crema, tangy cheese, and fresh cilantro this easy side dish is one you will find yourself making all summer long.

A hand sprinkling cotija cheese over the top of grilled corn on the cob.

Key Ingredients

Corn – for the best grilled street corn you want to choose the best fresh corn on the cob. Try and pick sweet corn that is firm and free of any brown spots. Before grilling the corn, either shuck completely or pull back the husk and tie it.
Mayonnaise – any type of mayo will work great. You could also substitute about half Mexican crema or sour cream for a slightly tangier sauce.
Chili Powder – this adds a little heat and is a traditional Mexican elotes seasoning ingredient.
Smoked Paprika – smoked paprika adds loads of flavor as well as a little color to the crema.
Sriracha– This will give the cream some heat!
Lime Juice – fresh lime juice is best. You’ll need this to make the crema, but you may want to grab a few extra so that you can serve your Grilled Mexican Corn with small wedges of lime.
Cotija Cheese – this is the traditional cheese served with Elotes. If you can’t find it, you could substitute queso fresco or even feta cheese.
Cilantro – a little sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro adds flavor and a pop of color to this Elote recipe. If you aren’t a cilantro fan, just skip it.

Brushing crema over the tops of grilled mexican street corn.

How to Make Grilled Mexican Street Corn

Preheat the grill. Heat grill to 400 degrees F.
Mix the crema. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Set aside.
Grill the corn. Place corn onto hot grill and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the kernels begin to turn golden brown. Using tongs, turn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden. Once all sides are golden brown, remove from the grill onto a large platter.
Finish with the crema and toppings. Brush with the crema mixture then sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Cotija cheese substitute for street corn?

Cotija cheese is the traditional cheese for Elotes and you can usually find it in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. If you can’t, you can substitute queso fresco or even feta cheese.

Can you make elotes in the oven?

If you don’t have a grill or don’t want to fire it up just to make one dish, you could cook the corn broiler. Just prepare the same way, letting the corn cook in the broiler and turning occasionally until the kernels are golden on all sides.

Should I shuck the corn before grilling?

For grilled Mexican Street Corn, it’s best to shuck the corn so that the kernels can cook directly on the heat. You can either shuck completely or pull the husks back and tie them decoratively (giving them a nice little handle).

Can you use frozen corn?

If your craving for Grilled Street corn hits during the winter, you could make this with frozen or canned corn. Just saute in a pan with a little butter then stir in the crema and top with Cotija cheese and cilantro.

A plate full of grilled street corn topped with cheese, cilantro, and crema.

Storing and Reheating

Refrigerator: while Grilled Mexican Street Corn is absolutely best soon after it is made, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: reheat on a skillet over the stovetop or in the microwave then top with extra crema, cheese, and cilantro.