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The easiest creamy Mexican corn dip! Elotes dip is basically the stuff you find in Mexican street corn in a cup, but made so you can serve it alongside tortilla chips! There’s no cooking involved — stir everything together and you’re good to go in 10 minutes!
ELOTES DIP!
Friends, friends, friends. Have you ever had roasted street corn rolled together with a tangy mayo, melted butter, a hint of seasonings, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese?
It is seriously the creamiest snack and it’s pretty much available everywhere here in the great state of Texas! So today, I’ve turned a summer favorite into a creamy Mexican corn dip in time for the last summer blow out of the year — Labor Day!
We love serving this Elotes dip at get together’s and barbecues because:
- it requires just a handful of ingredients
- You use frozen corn kernels (or the cans work too), so you don’t have to worry about eating corn on the cob in public (see here for a great recipe if that sort of thing doesn’t bother you!)
- it takes 10 minutes
- no actual cooking is required
I’ve also made Mexican street corn into a salad with black beans and avocados, which is great if you’re looking to make something that would work in salad form. And then there were the Mexican street corn and chicken tacos! Basically, at this point, we love Mexican street corn so much, I’ve found all sorts of ways to consume it.
Note to self: try making elotes nachos or even elotes pizza!
What do you need to make Mexican street corn dip?
- corn kernels
- melted butter
- lime juice
- mayonnaise
- seasonings
- cilantro
- fresh jalapeño
- crumbled Cotija cheese
What kind of corn kernels for corn dip?
I like to use fire-roasted corn in my elotes dip. The charred corn adds a new flavor profile to the dip, but you can also use defrosted sweet corn kernels, and even canned corn would work for this recipe as long as you drain the cans thoroughly. Fire-roasted corn is usually sold in the freezer section in most grocery stores right next to the regular stuff. Recently, I’ve even spotted it in the canned veggies aisle, so there’s no need to roast your own corn for this recipe unless you really want to!
Where do I find crumbled cotija cheese?
Cotija cheese is usually sold in as a disc or even crumbled in a bag in the refrigerated section where you find all the other bagged and shredded cheeses. I usually buy the crumbled stuff so it’s as easy as using it in the recipe, you can however also purchase the disc and just crumble it yourself.
What do I use in Mexican street corn dip if I can’t find cotija cheese?
If you absolutely cannot find crumbled Cotija cheese, you can use crumbled feta cheese. I’ve never tried replacing it in this recipe, but I heard a few people mention they have used it successfully as a substitute for Cotija.
How to make Mexican street corn salad:
- The first step is to make the creamy base for the dip. You do so by combining the melted (and cooled) butter, lime juice, and mayonnaise and seasoning it with garlic powder, salt, and ancho chili powder (cayenne works too in a pinch.)
- Next, we’ll mix the corn, cilantro, jalapeños, Cotija cheese, and use a rubber spatula to toss everything together.
- Just drizzle the prepared base on top of the corn and other ingredients and stir. Adjust with additional seasonings as desired.
- I suggest you make the dip at least a couple hours in advance if you can, however, you can also make and serve this immediately. I find the flavors do intensify a bit more if you make this a bit in advance. Serve it alongside tortilla chips and watch it disappear!
How long do leftovers last?
Leftover Elotes dip can last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator as long as it placed into an airtight container and covered. Leftovers are delicious if you use them similarly to chicken or egg salad — on bread or even on a bed of lettuce and of course, as a dip!
If you’re on the hunt for a quick and easy Labor Day potluck treat, though I am just a tad bit biased on this one, I suggest making this Mexican street corn dip!
It’s super different (no one else is bringing this to the party, that’s for sure), but also doesn’t require too much effort on your part.
I often find that some of the best recipes fit those requirements. 👏🏼
Creamy Mexican Corn Dip (Elotes Dip)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons EACH: melted butter cooled AND lime juice
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt AND ancho chili powder cayenne works, but use less
- 1 pound roasted corn defrosted/drained (regular corn kernels work too!)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Instructions
- BASE: Whisk together the melted butter, lime juice, and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Season with garlic powder, salt, and ancho chili powder.
- EVERYTHING ELSE: Add the corn, cilantro, jalapeños, Cotija cheese and using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Taste and adjust with additional seasonings as desired.
- SERVE: Allow to cool for several hours (it intensifies the flavors even more) or serve immediately along with tortilla chips.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
I will try this by putting the corn in a pan and “roast” the corn a little for a more rustic flavor and adding some celery to add a bit more texture.
Delicious!!!!!
Looks yummy! Have you ever used Ghee instead of cooled butter?
This was a great hit at my grand daughter’s birthday party. So different from anything we have before. Thank you for sharing.
As an added bonus with the left overs I added roasted chicken and black beans for the man’s lunch burrito, and oh wow that will be in the rotation.
What a great recipe.
I loved this dip! It was so easy and yummy! I think the only thing I would do differently next time is a little less salt. We are eating this with really salty tortilla chips though, so I think that just added a bit more to the mix. Like it says in the recipe, definitely season to taste. Thank you Marzia!
Rather than mayonnaise, we prefer Mexican crema in ours. If you can find cotija, you can most likely find crema. Also several generous dashes of Cholula Mexican hot sauce add to the flavor.
Can I put it in a crock pot to keep warm?
Parmesan cheese is more similar to cotija and works better than feta
Perfect, easy dip to throw together with items always have on hand. It will be devoured by anybody who tries it. I’m taking it to a lunch party today!
So glad to hear you gave it a try, Katie! Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
I made this for a party yesterday. I measured everything to a T, and it came out looking nothing like the photos. The corn is so covered in sauce that you don’t see the yellow color. However, it was huge hit at the party, so I’m happy. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad to hear everyone enjoyed the recipe! I held back on some of the corn kernels and cilantro (purely for pictures) and added them to the top to make it look more appetizing, you’re welcome to do that as well if you’d like for next time!