Mexican Street Corn in a Cup (Elote en Vaso)
Mexican street corn salad in a cup (elote en vaso) is a delicious mix of sweet, charred corn kernels tossed with creamy mayonnaise and sour cream, tangy lime juice, crumbled cotija cheese, and a dash of chili powder and smoked paprika, creating a perfect balance of smoky, savory, and zesty flavors with a hint of spice.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh corn (4-5 ears of corn)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno finely diced
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup Cotija cheese (divided)
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- extra lime wedges and hot sauce for serving
Instructions
- Cut corn off the cob if using fresh corn, using a bundt pan if desired.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to char and caramelize (about 5–7 minutes). Don't stir continuously or the corn won't have a chance to get charred and flavorful, but don't allow it to burn.
- While the corn is cooking, mince the garlic. Finely dice the jalapeno and remove seeds if desired (to decrease spice level). Coarsely chop the cilantro.
- Add the garlic and jalapeno to the pan, cooking and stirring for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and most of the cilantro. Keep some cilantro aside for topping.
- Add the charred corn into the creamy mixture and stir to combine.
- Mix in ½ cup of the Cotija cheese, reserving some for garnish.
- Divide into cups, pile on the remaining Cotija, sprinkle with a pinch of extra chili powder, and garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Notes
This recipe is very cheese-forward (which is what I love about it), but if you're not sure about the flavor of Cotija or just want less cheese, feel free to start with ¼ cup and add more to taste.