Elote
A comforting Mexican side built around corn on the cob, mayonnaise and mexican crema or sour cream — roughly 55 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Shuck the corn and pat the ears dry, then heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
- Grill the corn, turning every couple of minutes, for about 10 to 12 minutes until kernels are charred in spots and tender.
- Meanwhile stir together the mayonnaise, crema and grated garlic into a smooth, spreadable sauce.
- Slather the warm grilled corn all over with the mayo-crema mixture so it clings to every kernel.
- Crumble the cotija generously over each ear, pressing lightly so it sticks, then dust with chili powder.
- Finish with a squeeze of lime, a scatter of chopped cilantro and a pinch of salt, and serve at once on the cob with extra lime wedges.
You'll use: Grill / broiler · Pan · Large pot · Grill pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Sour Cream
- plain Greek yogurt · crème fraîche
- Lime
- lemon
What to serve with Elote
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole Chicken
- Cajun spiced fish tacos Seafood
- Braised Beef Chilli Beef
- Crock Pot Chicken Baked Tacos Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Elote take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 9 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of sour cream?
Try plain Greek yogurt. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Elote vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Elote is an original Mexican recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Elote Palomero bebé.jpg by Armando Olivo Martín del Campo, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.