Esquites
Corn kernels cut from the cob and fried in butter with onion and green chilli, served hot in a cup with mayonnaise, lime, crumbled cheese and chilli powder.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Esquites are corn kernels cut off the cob and cooked in a pan with butter, onion, a little green chilli and salt, then served hot in a cup with the toppings stirred through: mayonnaise, lime juice, crumbled cheese and powdered chilli. The flavour is the same as elote, the whole grilled ear, but this is a cup of loose kernels eaten with a spoon. The corn should catch and brown in places before the water goes in, so use a wide pan and do not stir constantly. Epazote is traditional and worth finding. Without it the cup is still right, just plainer.
What you'll need
10 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Corn
- To serve
Ingredients
Corn
To serve
- Mayonnaise59 ml
- Lime, halved2
- Queso fresco, or cotija, finely crumbled80 g
- Chilli powder, Mexican powdered chilli such as piquín4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Stand each ear upright in a wide bowl and cut the kernels off with a sharp knife, close to the cob. Scrape the cob with the back of the knife to get the milky bits too.
8 min
Step 2
Melt the butter in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the onion and chilli for 2 minutes. Add the corn and salt, spread it out and leave it 2 to 3 minutes between stirs so it browns in patches, about 8 minutes in all.
10 min
Step 3
Add the water, and epazote if you have it, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, until the corn is tender and most of the water has gone but it is still a little brothy. Taste for salt.
7 min
Step 4
Spoon the hot corn into cups with a little of the liquid. Top each with a spoon of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lime, a handful of cheese and a pinch of chilli powder. Stir and eat with a spoon.
3 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 357 kcal
- Protein
- 7.2 g
- Carbs
- 39.6 g
- Fat
- 22.2 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.4 g
- Fibre
- 5.9 g
- Sugar
- 7.4 g
- Sodium
- 716 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Queso fresco or cotija → Feta
Saltier and tangier. Use a little less.
Mayonnaise → Mexican crema or sour cream
Lighter and sharper, and removes the egg.
Tips
- Frozen sweetcorn works out of season. Fry it straight from frozen and use half the water.
- Some carts add a spoon of crema or a dash of bottled hot sauce. Both are fine.
History & culture
Esquites are sold in the evening from carts outside metro stations, churches and plazas across central Mexico, ladled from a big pot into polystyrene cups. Vendors ask what you want on it: mayonnaise, lime, cheese, chilli, or all of it. In the north the same thing is usually called elote en vaso, corn in a cup.
Corn has been grown in Mexico for some 9,000 years, and the word esquite comes from Nahuatl izquitl, toasted corn. The early versions were kernels toasted on a comal. Butter, mayonnaise and bottled chilli powder came much later, and the street cup as it is sold now is a 20th-century city dish.
Traditional — Mexican street corn is starchy white maize, chewier and less sweet than the sweetcorn sold elsewhere. Sweetcorn makes a sweeter cup and needs a few minutes less. Two or three sprigs of epazote in the pan are traditional and have no real substitute.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Esquites take?
25 min all in — 10 min prep, 15 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 cups. 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, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
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?
Chef's knife, Mixing bowl, Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Queso fresco or cotija → Feta. Saltier and tangier. Use a little less. Mayonnaise → Mexican crema or sour cream. Lighter and sharper, and removes the egg.
Any tips from this recipe?
Frozen sweetcorn works out of season. Fry it straight from frozen and use half the water. Some carts add a spoon of crema or a dash of bottled hot sauce. Both are fine.
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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