Name: Mexican Street Corn Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 cups of cooked corn; 1/4 cup of mayo; 1/4 cup of green onion, chopped; 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 teaspoons finely diced fresh jalapeno (depending on your heat preference); 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; Salt and pepper to taste

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Easy Mexican Street Corn Dip

Ready in only 10 minutes, this easy Mexican street corn dip is about to make your last-minute appetizers way more exciting. Packed with cotija cheese and chili powder, every bowl will taste like a trip to Mexico without leaving your kitchen.

Made with fresh or frozen yellow corn, every spoonful of this dip is a crunchy and flavor-packed party. To balance the sweetness, there’s lime juice and chili powder. For creaminess, there’s mayo and even a bit of crema if you’re up for it. There is no other word to describe this corn dip but “perfect.”

It’s so good that it might start substituting the salads in your weekly menu… No one’s complaining! Served with corn chips, you’ll start getting more and more requests for it— especially when you try it with chipotle mayo.

Close-up of Mexican street corn dip with a metal spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Elote Dip Recipe

Street corn always gets a gold-star in terms of flavor and easiness, but here are more reasons to fall in love with it:

Quick. It’s ready in 10 minutes. It literally doesn’t get any easier than this.
Easy. All you have to do is toss it for it to be ready— it’s a fail-proof recipe!
Healthy. This homemade corn dip is almost like a salad; it’s just corn, a bit of mayo, cheese, and seasonings like chili powder, garlic powder, and lime juice.
Family-friendly. If you’ve got little ones at home, reduce the amount of heat. If it’s an adults-only gathering, add more chile or seasonings to taste. It’s super easy to adapt to different preferences!

Close-up of a corn chip in the Mexican street corn dip.

What is Mexican Street Corn?

Mexican street corn has two presentations: elotes and esquites. Elotes are the on-the-cob version of esquites, which refer to corn ears. Both types are prepared using the same base ingredients like mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, hot sauce, and cheese.

This recipe is the “esquites” version of Mexican street corn. It’s commonly found in food stalls and is sold in styrofoam cups with a spoon for an afternoon or late-night snack.

Ingredients for Mexican street corn dip.

What You’ll Need

This street corn dip recipe is loaded with Mexican ingredients like cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient amounts.

Yellow corn – Use fresh, canned, or frozen. If you use frozen, make sure it’s fully thawed.
Mayonnaise – Full-fat or low-fat is okay.
Green onion – Feel free to leave it out.
Cilantro
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Fresh jalapeño – Feel free to use canned chile, but drain and rinse it well before using.
Cotija cheese – Queso fresco is a good swap.
Lime juice
Salt and pepper

How to Make Street Corn Dip

This Mexican street corn dip is ridiculously easy. Just toss it!

Fill the bowl. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Toss it. Gently stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste. You can also add more lime juice, garlic powder, or chili powder to adjust the flavor. Set it aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Mexican street corn in a bowl with lime wedges on the side.

Tips & Variation Ideas

With these tips and variations, your street corn will taste just like the ones they serve at parks and plazas throughout Mexico.

Add more heat. Swapping regular mayo for chipotle mayo is a good way to add extra heat and creaminess.
Use white corn. If you can find white corn at your local Mexican grocery store, use it to make this recipe. It’s a super traditional take on street corn dip! However, make sure the corn isn’t for making pozole, that’s a different kind.
Skip the grilling. Don’t worry if your corn isn’t grilled. Some Mexican street corn dips use boiled-only corn and are still super yummy. Give it a go!
Make it creamier. Using 50% mayo and 50% Mexican crema will make your corn dip extra creamy and authentic.

Ways to Serve Street Corn Dip

This Mexican street corn dip with corn chips or Wonton Chips is a great way to kick off any Mexican or Tex-Mex meal. You can also serve it with Easy Homemade Salsa or Fresh Mango Salsa for a variety of dip-able appetizers leading up to the main course. I recommend my Salsa Verde Carne Asada, Grilled Chicken With Mango Salsa, or Cilantro Lime Chicken for a flavor-packed meal.

How to Store Extras

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Throw it away if it begins to taste particularly sour or bitter. You can serve it chilled, at room temperature, or reheated in the microwave for up to a minute (or until warm.)

Mexican Street Corn Dip