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Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) for #SundaySupper

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Elote - Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob | Magnolia Days

Are you ready for some Mexican food and fun? Today is Cinco de Mayo and that means Sunday Supper has to celebrate it big! We are sharing recipes for today and any time you are craving the cuisine. I have to admit I had a difficult time deciding what to make. First I thought about these roll-ups I have made dozens of times. Then perhaps brisket tacos. One morning I woke up suddenly around 4am and remembered Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn). That was it! Decision made and I went back to sleep.

The first time I had Elote was on a trip to New York. I went there with a group of friends to celebrate someone’s 50th birthday. We went to Cariño restaurant in Brooklyn, to visit one of my friend Terry‘s family members. The meal was one of the best I’ve ever had. Every bit of it was memorable and I wish they had a location in Atlanta. One day I hope to get back to New York so I can enjoy their incredible food again.

Elote - Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob | Magnolia Days

I researched recipes on the internet. There were several versions and I took notes and got inspiration from all of them. I came up with a recipe with a little from this and a little from that. Then I was concerned I would not make something authentic. As luck would have it, my roof was replaced this week. The roofing crew was a team of Hispanic workers. I made the corn, photographed it, and took it out to them on their lunch break. The moment I set the tray down, one said “Elote!” with a big smile on his face. The rest came over and got an ear of corn. I walked away, turned around, and they all gave me a thumbs up and said “Delicioso!”. That’s all I needed to hear.

Elote - Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob | Magnolia Days
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Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob)

A recipe for Elote, Mexican grilled corn on the cob. After the corn is grilled it is coated with a chili-mayo spread and rolled in cotija or parmesan cheese. Serve with lime wedges for a delicious side dish.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of corn husks on
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper plus more for serving
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup grated cotija or parmesan cheese
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Peel back the husks to loosen them from the corn. Do not remove husks. Soak the corn in cold water for 20 minutes.
  2. Prepare a medium hot grill (about 350 degrees F).
  3. Peel back the husks leaving at least two outer layers attached at the end. Remove the silk and pull the husks back up. Tie with cooking twine or a piece of husk (not too tightly so that steam can be relased during grilling).
  4. Place the ears on the grill. Cover grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning ears every 5 minutes for even cooking. The corn is done with the kernels are soft. Be careful not to over-cook or the corn will be mushy.
  5. While the ears are grilling, make the spread. In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, sour cream, ancho chili pepper, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine.
  6. Spread a thin layer of the cheese on a plate or sheet of aluminum foil.
  7. Handle the grilled corn with caution because they will be hot. Safety first to avoid burns.
  8. Peel back and remove the husk from an ear of corn. Brush the spread on the corn. Roll the coated corn in the cheese. Repeat process with remaining corn.
  9. Serve immediately with additional ancho chile pepper and lime wedges. Squeeze the lime over the corn and sprinkle with more pepper if desired.

Recipe Notes

Any remaining spread can be refrigerated in a sealed container and used for sandwiches and more.

Are you ready for more Cinco de Mayo recipes? Take a look at what my fellow Sunday Supper bloggers are sharing for today’s event:

Cinco de Mayo Appetizers & Sides {Aperitivos}:

Cinco de Mayo Main Dishes {Platos Principales}:

Cinco de Mayo Desserts {Postres}:

Cinco de Mayo Drinks {Bebidas}:

What great food! It’s a big virtual fiesta! My to-cook list keeps growing and growing. How about you?

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement

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Comments

  1. Oh, yum! The fanciest grilled corn I know is made with soy sauce. But your elote with the cheese sounds and looks delicioso! And when someone compliments on food that is part of their native land, you know it’s good =)

    Reply

  2. I have heard of this but never tried it. Sounds intriguing. I have been using a microwave approach where you don’t need to peel the corn at all (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBF6bv4Oe4) that I think might work well with this. Probably not as crisp as grilled.

    Most sites seem to put their recipe above the links to all the others. I at first thought you’d forgotten to post the recipe! LOL!

    Reply

    • The corn cooked in the microwave or boiled on the stove would work. The only difference is it would not have the smokey flavor from the grill.

      Reply

  3. You had the best bunch of recipe testers for this one! How great is that? I never had elote, but corn with cheeses, how can that not be amazing! Have a great sunday Renee!
    PS I `stole´ your Food & Wine banner and pasted it in my post…

    Reply

  7. Ahhhh, I love your story! You must have felt so proud when the workers said Elote! I’m going to be saying Elote tonight because I am making this for dinner! I have two ears of corn that need to be used. Thank you for sharing the recipe and the story!

    Reply

  9. My mouth is watering just thinking about this Elote! I haven’t had it before, but since my husband got his grill for Christmas last year, we are always looking to try new recipes that utilize it. This is right up my alley!

    Reply

  12. I had to laugh… you might be the only person the ever use “luck” and “roof replaced” in the same sentence! I used love elote… until I found out that it has mayo on it. I have a completely irrational fear of mayo. hah!

    Reply

    • You could probably substitute Greek yogurt for the mayo since you don’t use mayo. Oh, and it’s the second time we have had a new roof because of hailstorms.

      Reply

  15. Corn on the cob doesn’t have to be boring anymore. This is my revelation after reading this post. This recipe is a must-make for me later this month! It’s already on my Memorial Day menu! Thanks Renee.

    Reply

  21. Renee,
    I love that you brought something authentic! Awesome! I have never had Elote but now I must try this! I couldn’t figure out if that was panko or what on the outside. . grated cotija or parmesan cheese. . yum!!! Hmm… maybe I should try deep frying corn on the cob. . would that be crazy?! This is inspiring!!! yum!

    Reply

  23. These look and sound incredible!!! Just saw a version of these on The Chew last week, and now after seeing your awesome version, I’ve got to try them!!!

    Reply

  24. I’m glad I’m not the only one who dreams about recipe ideas 😉 Can’t wait until it’s corn season around here!

    Reply

    • Glad to hear someone else has recipe dreams. Maybe it is another aspect to food blogging or just another level of being food obsessed.

      Reply

  26. Renee, I never made neither flavored corn on the cob nor grilled. They are just popping in the market for a premium price so I’ll wait before attempting this year for the first time, grilled & flavored. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

    • I want to make that salad too. Sometimes I don’t want to eat corn straight from the cob and the salad would be great then.

      Reply

    • My official taste testers sure did like it. I did too. I can see me getting lots of ears of corn this summer from the farmers market and making this often.

      Reply

  32. Renee, you truly had a moment of brilliance when you thought up elote for today’s Sunday Supper 😉 These are amazing! I had it once at an excellent Mexican restaurant in San Francisco and have yet to find them in Vancouver. You’ve totally got me craving this. I also found that comment on google plus this morning hilarious (the dude who said mayo on corn is gross). That’s what someone with no taste buds would say!

    Reply

    • Some people don’t like mayonnaise and can’t imagine it on lots of things. I’m sure if he tried it he would like it though. The flavors of the sauce make it more than plain mayo spread on corn. Plus the cheese too.

      Reply

  36. Elote is so good, especially with sweet summer corn! During all the street fairs in the summer, you are guaranteed to find quite a few vendors selling it. Hard to resist.

    Reply

    • You are lucky to be able to order it from a restaurant. I haven’t seen it on the menu at any of the ones near where I live.

      Reply

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