Mexican Street Corn on the Cob is oven-roasted and topped with Cotija cheese and Tajin Seasoning. This delicious Mexican corn recipe is a mix of smokey and tangy flavors, making it a one-of-a-kind Elote recipe.
Who doesn’t love taking a big bite of a grilled corn on the cob?
Here is a twist on the traditional Mexican Elote that is easy to make and I use a new favorite seasoning in it!
This post was originally published on May 1st, 2014. Updated on May 5th, 2020 with new images and a change to the ingredients
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You will love these easy tips for making Elote.
- Do you know that they make stove top grills that are also oven-safe? I was so thrilled when I discovered them. This is the one I use (Affiliate Link) Calphon Contemporary Nonstick Grid Pan.
- This is a vegetarian Mexican elote recipe. I also have a vegan corn on the cob version that is just as delicious. You can sub the chili pepper for tajin!
- Since tajin is very tangy, you don’t need to use lemon or lime for this recipe. You can, if you like it very tangy, like me. 🙂
- I found Creama Mexicana at my local Publix. It’s easily found in big box stores too. If you can’t find it, you can always use creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream.
- The Cotija cheese is the best part of this recipe. It adds a little authentic flavor to the corn on the cob. If you are not a fan of this cheese, check out this list of cotija cheese substitutes.
👩🍳 Substitution tip: Don’t have tajin? You can mix chili powder with lemon pepper and it will taste very similar to tajin.
Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the bottom of this post.
- Corn on the cob – the star of this dish and a delicious food to eat for the summer.
- Butter – can’t have corn on the cob without some butter!
- Sour cream – acts as the base of the tasty coating that goes on the corn
- Pink salt – Better than regular salt because it’s not overly processed. You can also use pink salt.
- Cotija cheese – this is a specific kind of Mexican cheese that somewhat resembles Feta or Parmesan.
- Tajin – gives your Mexican style corn a kick of heat and tang!
🌽 Handy Tip: Get the store bought, pre-cut corn on the cob. It will save you the hassle of de-husking the corn.
Why I love this Mexican corn recipe
I love Corn on the Cob recipes!
My blog is proof of that! I have quite a few corn on the cob recipes with all kinds of flavors!
Every time I find myself in Daytona Beach, I make it a point to visit La Fiesta restaurant. To date, they have the BEST elote recipe from any restaurant.
The mix of tang and spice is the perfect taste party for my taste buds! I am willing to bet that this Mexican Elote will a party for your taste buds too!
My love for tajin knows no bounds!
Yup, here I go again! Showing off another recipe that uses my new spice addiction!
Ever since I discovered it at a local restaurant in Orlando, I haven’t been able to put it down! It’s my kind of spice with it’s heat and tang.
It flavored my cauliflower rice recipe and made it better than anything I have ever tasted!
Right now, my favorite way to use tajin spice is by adding it to this delicious tomato avocado salad. Avocado has a completely different taste because of tajin.
How to make this Mexican street corn recipe
- Preheat oven to 375° and place the Calaphon in the oven.
- Make sure there are no corn “hairs” on the corn on the cob.
- Butter the corn on the cob and place in a heated grill.
- Place the grill into the oven for 15 minutes and let the magic happen!
- While the corn is roasting, combine sour cream, salt, and cotija cheese. Whisk well.
- Turn the corn on the cob and cook for 15 more minutes
- Allow the corn to cool then smother it with the sour cream sauce
- Sprinkle Tajin seasoning according to taste (about 1 tsp per corn on the cob)
- Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately
So, now you know how to make Mexican street corn on the cob in the oven! Will you be making it all the time?
Answering common questions
The Mexicans really know how to do corn on the cob. So often they will use mayo, sour cream, Mexican Parmesan cheese, Cayenne pepper, Lime, Coriander, peppercorns and the list goes on and on. It’s traditionally served as a snack on the street, but works great as a side dish!
Elote refers to corn still on the cob, usually served on some kind of stick or with the husks peeled down and turned into a handle. Esquites refers to the corn removed from the cob and served in a cup and eaten with a spoon, but it’s essentially the same ingredients and flavors.
No, they are slightly different but queso fresco can be used as a substitute for Cotija as they have similar buttery and salty notes. Queso fresco is typically a bit drier than Cotija, but their flavors are almost the same.
They have similar textures and almost the same bacteria. The taste, however, is a little different. The Creame fraiche is a little on the tangy side and the Creama Mexicana is a little bland. But, you can easily sub one for the other.
Tajin is a little bit spicy, a little bit salty and a WHOLE LOT tangy! This is a spice that can flavor soups, salads, drinks, meals and even desserts!
Try these corn recipes
If this Mexican street corn on the cob recipe has you craving even more corn, why not try this Mexican Street Corn in a Taco Bowl, or another one of these delicious corn recipes?
Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this Mexican street corn on the cob recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and even YouTube.
Mexican street corn on the cob
Equipment
- Calaphon Contemporary Grill Pan (Oven Safe)
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cob Husked
- 1 tsp butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Cotija Mexican Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Creama Mexicana or whipping cream
- 1 tsp sea salt optional
- 1 Tbsp tajin adjust to taste
- cilantro for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and place the Calaphon in the oven.
- Remove any remaining corn “hairs” on the corn on the cob
- Lightly butter the corn on the cob and place in a heated grill.
- Place the grill into the oven for 15 minutes and let the magic happen!
- While the corn is roasting, combine sour cream, salt, cotija cheese and creama Mexicana. Whisk well.
- Turn the corn on the cob and cook for 15 more minutes
- Allow the corn to cool then smother it with the sour cream mixture
- Sprinkle Tajin seasoning according to taste (about 1 tsp per corn on the cob)
- Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately
Video
Notes
- Use oven-safe grill pan to cook the corn on the cob in the oven.
- Since tajin is very tangy, you don’t need to use lemon or lime for this recipe. You can, if you like it very tangy, like me. 🙂
- I found Creama Mexicana at my local Publix. It’s easily found in big box stores too. If you can’t find it, you can always use creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream.
- The Cotija cheese is the best part of this recipe. It adds a little authentic flavor to the corn on the cob. Luckily, it is also as readily available in grocery stores and big box stores.
- What I like to do is grill a few corn on the cobs at a time and make the sauce. I store them separately and then bring them together when I am ready to serve.
- Get the store bought, pre-cut corn on the cob. I find that it makes my life easier because I don’t have to de-husk it or clean up afterwards.
Version 1 of this recipe
From time to time, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover
This Corn on the Cob recipe was originally published on May 2nd, 2014 at 11:18am. See the original recipe here. As you can see from the version 1 image, this post desperately needed an update! ????
I did keep the recipe as close to the original as possible, but, I couldn’t resist changing the cayenne pepper to Tajin seasoning.
Michelle says
Yes! I love elote! This recipe is perfect. I could eat it all day long!
Healing Tomato says
Thank you, Michelle
Dannii says
Corn on the cob is such a classic side dish and this Mexican version looks amazing.
Healing Tomato says
Thank you, Danii
Beth says
These look amazing and my daughter loves tajin! She’ll put it on just about everything too! Definitely making these later tonight, so excited!
Healing Tomato says
Thank you, Beth
Michelle says
These elotes look so flavourful! Love the spicy and buttery flavour!
Healing Tomato says
Thank you, Michelle
Pam says
I love this! I always get corn similar to this at our town’s farmers market, but have never made it at home. That’s about to change!
Healing Tomato says
Thank you, Pam