Description
This flavorful and delicious esquites (elote in a cup) is a delectable Mexican street corn classic that you’re sure to love.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup crema Mexicana
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 20 oz. frozen corn or about 3 cups of corn kernels
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
- Tajin or chili powder
Instructions
- Mix together mayonnaise and crema until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Saute corn in large skillet for 6-8 minutes, until cooked through and slightly charred.
- Put corn into cups or a serving bowl and drizzle with the mayo mixture. Top with cotija cheese and cilantro.
- Squeeze lime juice and finish with Tajin to taste.
Notes
- Serving: If serving this as a traditional esquites recipe, serve in disposable cups. You can also serve in a pretty glass or even a salad bowl if serving a crowd. If we’re having it with dinner, I put everything out family-style and let everyone make their own bowl or put it right on their plate.
- Storage: Store esquites ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat corn in a hot skillet or microwave until heated through.
- Ingredient notes: Fresh sweet corn obviously works well, but requires it to be in season and takes a bit more effort. Frozen corn kernels are a great option that is incredibly convenient and a great option any time of year. Even canned corn will work, simply drain and rinse before using. You can also look for fire-roasted frozen corn which will give it a nice charred flavor.
- Prep ahead: Mix the lime crema up to a day in advance. If you plan on grilling the corn, you could also do that a day in advance.
- Special tools: Using a cast iron skillet will help your corn get a nice char on it!