Elote
Elote
Street corn — grilled, then mayo, cheese, chilli and lime. Eat it over a napkin.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Elote.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Elote is corn on the cob, grilled or boiled, then painted with mayonnaise or crema, rolled in crumbled cheese, chilli powder and lime. Esquites is the same flavour in a cup. This is street food. It is messy on purpose.
Ingredients
- Corn4
- Mayonnaise59 ml
- Melting cheese, cotija or feta-like crumb60 g
- Fresh chilli, powder or Tajín if you have it4.9 ml
- Lime2
- Salt1.2 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Grill or dry-pan the cobs until they char in spots, 10–12 minutes. Or boil 8 minutes.
12 minStep 2
Brush with mayo, roll in cheese, chilli, lime, salt. Serve immediately.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Cotija → Feta or a dry crumbly cheese
Saltier. Use less.
Tips
- Cut the kernels off for esquites and toss in a cup with the same dressing.
- A little coriander is allowed. A lot becomes a salad.
History & culture
Carts, plazas, night markets. Also the side that shows up at a backyard grill.
Maize is the civilisation. The mayo-and-cheese coat is a 20th-century street flourish.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: ProtoplasmaKid via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elote%20as%C3%A1ndose.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Elote take?
25 min all in — 10 min prep, 15 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 cobs. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Very easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Tongs.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at ¼ tsp.
What can I use instead?
Cotija → Feta or a dry crumbly cheese. Saltier. Use less.
Any tips from this recipe?
Cut the kernels off for esquites and toss in a cup with the same dressing. A little coriander is allowed. A lot becomes a salad.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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