Easy Mexican Street Corn Dip
This creamy Mexican street corn dip is perfect for parties or a quick snack. The bold flavours of traditional Elote, combined with a creamy sauce and spicy topping, make for irresistibly easy entertaining!
Looking for the perfect party snack? Look no further than Mexican street corn dip! This creamy, flavour-packed dip combines the bold flavours of traditional Elote with a creamy sauce and fresh, spicy toppings.
Using fresh, frozen or canned corn, this dip is super versatile, easy to make, and perfect for a crowd. Plus, you can adjust the spice level to your liking with chilli powder, hot sauce, or fresh sliced chiles.
There’s no need to wait for Cinco de Mayo, you should absolutely make this easy Mexican street corn dip recipe today. Serve it with tortilla chips for dipping and watch it disappear in minutes!
Bonus, leftovers are great in a pasta salad – as though you need more convincing to make this dip right now.
Why you’ll love this spicy corn dip
- Easy to make: This dip comes together quickly and easily, making it a great option for a last-minute party snack or appetizer.
- Bursting with flavour: The fresh sweet corn adds a delicious crunch to the dip while the blend of spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper adds loads of flavour.
- Customizable: You can adjust the spice level of this dip to your preference by adding more or less cayenne pepper, salsa macha or chiles. Or, omit it completely for a milder version.
- Versatile: Serve your Mexican street corn dip warm or cold with tortilla chips for dipping. Or use it as a topping for tacos, nachos, or even burgers. You can even stir it through pasta! The possibilities are endless.
What is Mexican street corn?
Mexican street corn, also known as Elote, is a popular and delicious street food in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. It is typically made with grilled or roasted corn on the cob, coated in a creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce.
After the sauce, it is sprinkled with crumbled cotija cheese and refreshing toppings like green onions, red onion, green chiles, and fresh herbs.
Finish Elote with Tajin seasoning (a Mexican spice blend made with chilli powder, lime, and salt) for a tangy and spicy kick.
This Elote dip combines all of those flavours into a comforting, convenient, moreish dip!
Ingredients and substitutes
This hot Mexican street corn dip is the perfect appetizer for any party or gathering. And it’s super easy to make with just a few simple ingredients:
- Mayo: Using store-bought mayonnaise means a two-ingredient lime crema in seconds. You can also use Greek yoghurt instead for a light Mexican crema
- Lime: Fresh lime juice adds a bright and tangy element to this dip. You’ll need one or two limes depending on how juicy they are.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I use EVOO for its rich flavour, but you can also use vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: I use standard white or yellow onion, but you can also use red onion.
- Corn: You can use fresh corn, frozen corn, or canned corn for this dip. If using fresh corn, slice the kernels from about 4 ears of corn. If using frozen corn, add it straight from frozen – giving it an extra minute to cook. And, if using canned corn, drain and rinse before using.
- Garlic: Mince two cloves of garlic for a savoury flavour boost. Or add garlic powder to the spice mix.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper add a smoky, earthy, and spicy kick to this dip. Adjust the cayenne pepper (or try a cayenne pepper alternative) to make it milder or spicier to suit your taste.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese forms the creamy base for the dip.
- Sour cream: Stirred into the warm dip right at the end, the sour cream adds a tangy, creamy finish.
- Crumbled salty cheese: I use crumbled feta for its salty and slightly tangy flavour, but you can also use crumbled cotija cheese for a more authentic Mexican taste – if you can find it.
- Salsa macha: This is an optional ingredient, but it adds an indulgent spicy, garlicky, and smoky flavour to the dip. If you don’t have salsa macha, make a simple chilli butter by melting butter and stirring in red pepper flakes, gochugaru, or smoked paprika. But it’s well worth making a large batch of salsa macha. It’s SO good!
- Cilantro: A handful of chopped fresh cilantro adds a burst of freshness to the dip.
- Sliced chillies: Fresh, sliced chiles add a fresh, spicy kick. I use jalapeños for a mild heat, but you can use your favourite chilli!
How to make street corn dip
This delicious and easy appetizer is perfect for parties or game day. And it helps that it’s super easy to make. So grab a cast iron skillet or frying pan, and get started.
Step 1: Sauté the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until translucent. Then, add the corn kernels and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Reduce the heat and stir in the cream cheese until smooth. Then, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a splash of milk or water. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Step 3: In a separate small mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise (or plain Greek yoghurt), lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Serve the dip warm straight from the skillet or transfer it to a serving bowl. Drizzle the lime mayo on top, followed by the crumbled cheese and salsa macha (if using). Finally, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and sliced chiles.
Serve alongside tortilla chips to make all your dipping dreams come true!
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This dip also tastes great stirred into a pasta salad.
Serving suggestions
This creamy Mexican street corn dip is the perfect addition to any party or game day spread. And while it’s the perfect dip for the job, there are many more ways to use it!
Serve it with chips: This dip pairs perfectly with corn chips, adding an extra crunch to each bite. You can also try it with your favourite potato chips or pita crisps for a different twist. Or serve it with vegetable crudités.
Try it as part of a spread with more Mexican dip recipes like
- Fresh mango habanero salsa
- Simple guacamole (without onion or tomato) sprinkled with Tajín
- A bowl of salsa macha
- Roasted mango salsa
Use it as a topping: Spoon generously over baked potato, serve it as a sauce for grilled chicken or veggies, or alongside tacos and loaded nachos.
Make it a meal: Stir the creamy corn sauce through cooked pasta and serve it cold as a delicious pasta salad. Or mix in some shredded cheese (like cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese) and bake until golden for an amazing street corn mac and cheese! You can even add some shredded chicken or pulled pork to make it a hearty and filling meal.
Frequently asked questions
Mexican street corn dip typically includes corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, chili powder, and lime juice. Other variations may also include cilantro, jalapenos, or black beans.
Gordon Ramsay’s version of Mexican street corn dip includes charred corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, chilli powder, lime juice, and cilantro. It is then topped with more cotija cheese and served with tortilla chips.
Mexican street corn dip typically includes corn, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, chilli powder, and lime juice. Other variations may also include cilantro, jalapenos, or black beans.
It is not strictly necessary to heat up street corn dip. But some recipes may call for heating the dip in the oven or on the stovetop depending on whether it includes melted cheddar cheese.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise , or plain Greek yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice , from 1 or 2 juicy lime
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 2 cups corn kernels*
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper , add more to taste or omit for a mild dip
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- ½ cup cream cheese , room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup crumbled feta , or crumbled cotija cheese
- 4 tablespoons salsa macha (optional) , or chilli crisp*
- handful of fresh cilantro , roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño chilli (optional) , thinly sliced
Instructions
- Combine the mayonnaise (or Greek yoghurt) with lime juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil and spread it across the pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent – about 5 minutes. Next, add the corn kernels, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the corn is tender, about 5 more minutes.
- Turn the heat down low, and stir in the cream cheese until smooth. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a splash of milk or water. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve the dip warm straight from the skillet, or transfer it to a serving dish. Drizzle with the lime mayo, sprinkle with the crumbled cheese, then spoon over the salsa macha. Finally, sprinkle with the fresh cilantro.
- Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
Notes
- If using fresh sweetcorn, slice the kernels from roughly 4 ears of corn. Or, use frozen corn kernels – no need to thaw them first, add them frozen and cook for a minute or so longer. You can even use canned corn – drained and rinsed.
- If you don’t have salsa matcha: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, chilli flakes (like gochugaru), or smoked paprika (for a non-spicy version). Set the melted butter aside until needed.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days. It’s delicious when stirred into a pasta salad!
Let me know if you love this Mexican street corn dip recipe as much as I do! And, feel free to ask if you have any questions.