This simple Elote Dip recipe is everything you love about classic Mexican street corn…in an easy 15-minute dip!
The very first time we invited our European friends over for Mexican food here in Spain, we made our usual round of tacos, rice, beans, and dips…and totally spiced everyone out. ???
Ha, to our taste, everything was pretty mild. But as we watched everyone non-chalantely avoiding the salsa and piling their plates high with rice and kindly trying to down their tacos with tears in their eyes, we realized that there’s a reason why you can’t find jalapeños in Barcelona. This country doesn’t do “picante” in the least!
Of course, as the host that night, I was totally kicking myself and scrambling to bring out more tortillas and rice and anything else mild that might come to the rescue. But as it turned out, everyone was perfectly happy to make practically an entire dinner out of this elote dip! I had made an enormous batch earlier that week with a bunch of leftover corn on the cob, and pulled it out as an afterthought that evening to serve as a taco topping. But the second I popped it on the table with a side of tortilla chips, everyone dove in…and literally polished off every last bite…and then begged for the recipe.
Ha, elote! Who knew?!
Ever since then, I’ve been whipping up batches to bring to parties and serve at our (now zero-spiced) Mexi nights with friends here, and people devour it every time. Also, the good news? It only takes about 15 minutes to make, it’s naturally gluten-free (and vegetarian), easy to make with frozen or canned corn (or leftover corn on the cob!), and muy delicioso.
Let’s make some.
What Is Elote?
Actually, let’s back up for a second and talk about what elote is, just in case any of you are wondering. “Elote” literally translates to “corn on the cob” in Spanish. But most people know it as the famous Mexican street corn, which is traditionally coated in a mixture of mayo, cotija, chili, garlic and cilantro, then grilled to perfection and served with a wedge of lime. I’ve been obsessed with it since I was a kid, so much so that Barclay and I even had a DIY-elote stand our wedding! But I have a bit of a thing about getting food stuck in my teeth. So I have always preferred to eat my elote with a spoon. ?
Thus…elote dip for the win!
Elote Dip Ingredients:
The classic Mexican street corn ingredients you’ll need for this elote recipe include:
- whole-kernel corn (I usually use either canned or frozen, or you can cut corn off the cob)
- crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco
- red onion (optional, but I love the extra flavor it adds)
- jalapeño (also optional, especially if you’re cooking in Spain, but highly recommended)
- Greek yogurt (or sour cream or mayo)
- fresh cilantro
- garlic
- lime
- chili powder
How To Make Elote Dip:
- Pan-roast your corn. This step is optional if you’re in a hurry, but I think it makes all of the difference if you have time. Simply melt a little butter (or olive oil) in a sauté pan, add the corn, and let it cook until it gets nice and roasted and caramelized around the edges. Meanwhile, as the corn is roasting…
- Prep the rest of your ingredients. Chop your garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, red onion, and measure out the remaining ingredients.
- Add everything together. Then combine the corn and remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir until combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. I recommend adding a bit of salt and pepper, and then also adding any extra ingredients that you might prefer (such as more lime juice for tang, more Greek yogurt for a creamier dip, more jalapeño for heat, etc).
- Serve! Then you’re ready to go!
How To Serve Elote:
The magic of Mexican corn is that it can be served all sorts of ways — hot, cold, on the cob, in a cup, as a dip, as a topping, you pick! I typically make a big batch, and then repurpose it in various ways over the course of a week. Unfortunately — since I know many will ask — it does not freeze well. But if you refrigerate in a sealed container, it will keep well for up to five days.
Enjoy, everyone!
Easy Elote Dip
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 0 About 4 cups 1x
Description
This simple Elote Dip recipe is everything you love about classic Mexican street corn…in a quick and easy dip! Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts to taste.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 pound (about 3.5 cups) whole kernel corn*
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (or mayo)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- juice of 1 lime
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized. Add in the garlic, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove from heat and add the corn to a mixing bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to five days.
Notes
*Feel free to use frozen or canned corn. Or fresh corn cut off the cob that has been cooked.
Yum! I’ve made this recipe 3 times in the past month! My boyfriend took some to work with him and people were begging for the recipe. The first two times I used fresh corn–cut it off the cob and threw it in the pan to roast with some butter. This last time, I bought Trader Joe’s roasted corn (frozen) to use to eliminate that first step. If roasting, I suggest to let it cool before mixing with remaining ingredients. But in my opinion, roasting the corn is absolutely necessary! I also used 2-2-1/2 T mayo instead of greek yogurt, a tad more cotija and chili powder than called for (personal taste). Overall, really good! I will be making this all summer!
I made this for my family tonight and it was an instant hit! Absolutely delicious and easy to make–this will be my new go-to for pot lucks :)
I am thinking of making this for a Spanish themed party. How do you eat it, besides using a spoon. Do you use tortilla chips? Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!
I just tried this on a whim. I had gotten the cotija cheese like a week or two ago and some frozen corn but never made it. The tip re: roasting the corn in butter prior to is essential. That makes all the difference in terms of flavor. But this is a quick, easy and flavorful dish. I didn’t need to add any extra anything, I followed your recipe to a tee, a bit more garlic and yogurt and cheese simply because of my preference. And extra cilantro. It’s like street corn off the cob. Yum!
I made this over the weekend and added chopped tomatoes but instead of eating it as a dip we just had it as a side to our tacos and it wadls DELICIOUS and also reheated very well. Thanks for the idea.
We loved this dip! So easy to make and so hard to stop eating. I used frozen corn and was surprised how well it roasted. My dip turned out a bit creamier looking than yours but still presented well sprinkled with some cilantro and extra chili powder. I even liked it cold the next day as sort of a salad. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Yummy, Just Yummy. Easy to make and full of flavor. This one is a hit. The queso fresco melts into the sweet warm corn and adds a rich creaminess. I loved making this almost as much as eating it.
Just made this for Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby party!
I used Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn…easy peasy. Tastes great.
interesting, I’ve probably had this without realizing it, certainly never deliberately set out to make it, so nice to read about what I would otherwise have only thought of as just some simple corn since I already love all of the spices and will definitely be including the jalapeno, sorry to realize that you have to tone it done so much in Spain!
Do you prefer Greek yogurt or mayo? I get so confused when recipes say “or” lol. Which do I pick!?
I use a half yogurt & half Mexican crema and it turns out amazing.