This easy, one-pot creamed corn is a spin on delicious Mexican elote, a popular street food. This dish is creamy and savory with the perfect blend of cheese and spices.
I’m here today armed with the perfect end-of-summer dish: Mexican elote creamed corn.
It’s delicious. It’s creamy. It’s savory, sweet, and a little spicy. And it’s so easy.
This recipe is from my cookbook, The Modern Cast Iron Cookbook. It’s my husband’s favorite recipe from the book. I’m pretty sure he ate the entire pan.
And I’ll be making it this Labor Day weekend upon request!
What is Elote Mexican Street Corn?
Elote literally means corn cob, or fresh ear of corn. It refers to the style and preparation of this popular Mexican street food staple.
Elote corn is traditionally prepared by being roasted over an open grill until slightly charred and juicy. Then, it is smothered with butter, salt, chili powder, cotija cheese, lime, cilantro, garlic, and a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, and/or Mexican crema.
Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds.
Our Spin on Elotes
This Mexican elote creamed corn is not your typical elote. Here’s why.
I was first introduced to elote when I worked in San Diego. I worked in the culinary department for a popular hotel, and my co-workers would make authentic elote all the time.
It was so good. And it was also so messy. It’s not exactly the easiest or best thing to eat when you’re on a lunch break. But worth it? Absolutely.
When I lived in Portland, I lived walking distance to this amazing food truck that served up the best tortas I’ve ever had, Güero. They also served esquites, which is basically Mexican elote off of the cob and turned into an incredible, cheesy corn salad. It was life changing.
From there, I was inspired to combine Mexican elote and creamed corn and make a hearty, warm, and very satisfying dish.
How to Make This Creamed Corn
Making this Mexican creamed corn is so easy. Fifteen minutes start-to-finish easy.
For this recipe, you’ll need:
- butter
- garlic
- jalapeno
- flour
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- corn (fresh, frozen, or leftover grilled corn)
- sugar
- cumin
- paprika
- chili powder
- Parmesan
- fresh cilantro
- cotija cheese
- lime
And check out our video below to see just how easy it is!
Mexican Elote Creamed Corn Video
We hope that you make and enjoy this Elotes Creamed Corn! What’s your favorite spin on a summer side dish? Let us know below!
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Mexican Elote Creamed Corn
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This easy, one-pot creamed corn is a spin on delicious Mexican elote. This dish is creamy and savory with the perfect blend of cheese and spices.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels (about 4 cups)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter to a preheated 12” skillet. Once melted, stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in, cooking the mixture another minute. Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add in the corn.
- Stir in the sugar, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture come to a low simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened and the corn is tender and cooked through.
- Stir in the Parmesan and top with the fresh cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
This recipe is an especially delicious way to repurpose leftover grilled corn, which adds a great smoky flavor to this dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 389
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 543mg
- Fat: 23.4g
- Saturated Fat: 13.8g
- Carbohydrates: 37.6g
- Fiber: 5.1g
- Protein: 16.7g
- Cholesterol: 72mg
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How would you recommend reheating this dish? I’d like to take it to our family Thanksgiving but we have to travel and I need to make it ahead of time.
I made this as a side dish for Christmas last year and it was a hit! Making it again this year. 🙂
★★★★★