Mexican Street Corn
Signs of summer are everywhere. The warm weather is bringing out the flowers, the birds – and, of course, the food trucks serving up all kinds of tasty bites.
One of my favorite street foods is Mexican street corn. It starts with fresh corn on the cob, which is a thing of beauty all by itself. But when you grill it and spread it all over with tangy Mexican crema – kind of like sour cream, but thinner and even more sour – and coat it with zesty spices and salty, crumbly Cotija cheese, it’s absolutely irresistible.
The first time I tried Mexican street corn, I loved it so much that I immediately created a dip based on it. Later, I also adapted it as a pasta salad. But I never tried to make the actual, original dish, because somehow I thought it just wouldn’t be the same.
Well, that was silly. I just tried it, and believe you me, fresh ears of corn grilled over charcoal in the back yard are every bit as scrumptious as the ones you buy from a street cart. Brushed with the spicy sauce and sprinkled with Cotija and fresh cilantro, they’re just like the full Mexican street corn experience – minus the street.
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How to store:
- Best if eaten while the corn is still hot off the grill. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Mexican Street Corn
- Heat charcoal grill to 400°F.
- Remove husks from corn cobs. Drizzle olive oil over the corn cobs and use your fingers or a pastry brush to rub the oil over the corn.
- Grill corn on the preheated grill, turning every 3 minutes, until corn is cooked on all sides and beginning to char (about 20 minutes total).
- Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, crema, garlic and mayonnaise.
- Brush sauce mixture generously over the grilled corn on all sides.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve immediately.
Other Cinco de Mayo Favorites!
Mexican Street Corn
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Ingredients
- 10 ears fresh sweet corn
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1/3 cup Crema Mexicana
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ⁄2 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 oz. Cotija cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Heat charcoal grill to 400°F.
- Remove husks from corn cobs. Drizzle olive oil over the corn cobs and use your fingers or a pastry brush to rub the oil over the corn.
- Grill corn on the preheated grill, turning every 3 minutes, until corn is cooked on all sides and beginning to char (about 20 minutes total).
- Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, crema, garlic and mayonnaise.
- Brush sauce mixture generously over the grilled corn on all sides.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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