Street Corn, or Elotes, is the ultimate in simple BBQ food. Our Street Corn 3 Ways shares our take on the classic and a Greek and Caribbean twist.
Traditional Street Corn or Elotes, is made by roasting corn on a flame and slathering it in a spicy Mexican crema, rolled in queso cotija, and topped with a sprinkling of cilantro. With notes of sweetness from the corn, and spiciness from the pepper, cooled down with the cream and brightened with the fresh cilantro, this is a summer essential dish paired with anything the BBQ has to offer.
Celebrating the golden ingredient of summer, we honored the traditional Mexican Street Corn and put a Chef Sous Chef twist on the classic adding new flavors and cultures to the cob including Greek and Caribbean. Simply adjusting the crema flavors, we added notes traditional to each country's culture and were pleasantly surprised with the combinations.
Mexican: Crema + Chipotle Powder + Cilantro + Lime Juice
Greek: Greek Yogurt + Garlic + Oregano + Lemon Juice
Caribbean: Crema + Curry Powder + Hot Pepper Sauce + Cilantro + Lime Juice
How to Make Mexican Street Corn:
Before we tell you how we made it, Elotes or Mexican Street Corn is a dish of cooked corn slathered in a spicy mixture of crema, and chili powder then doused in cheese. Called Mexican Street corn because it's often sold on the street by vendors or at festivals in Mexico. Creamy and cheesy with a punch of lime zest, our take on the Mexican Street corn is the perfect way to round out the end of summer.
Mix a small spoonful of chipotle powder and a handful of chopped cilantro with Mexican crema or sour cream. Squeeze half a lime into the mixture and give it a stir. Grill your corn and brush generously with the crema mixture. Roll in cojita cheese then sprinkle with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
How to Make Greek Street Corn:
Swapping cojita cheese for feta cheese and cream for yogurt, we played on the flavors found in Greek cuisine. Sprinkling with a light hand of oregano, and a gentle squeeze of lemon, biting into our Greek Street Corn is like diving into delicious Greek potatoes. Serve with chicken skewers or a lamb kebab, a Greek salad, and rice for the ultimate Mediterranean spread.
To make this version, mix the Greek yogurt with lemon, garlic, and a spoonful of fresh oregano. (If using dry oregano, make sure to use it sparingly). Grill the corn and slather it in the yogurt. Roll in crumbled feta and top with a small sprinkling of oregano.
How to Make Caribbean Street Corn:
Add a bit of heat and spice to your cob with our curry and spicy Caribbean Street Corn. Using the same crema technique, we opted for a creamy chèvre cheese to balance out the heat of the curry, all brought into harmony with the squeeze of lime. Serve with jerk chicken and a mango salad.
Mix a small spoonful of curry powder and a handful of chopped cilantro with Mexican crema or sour cream. Squeeze half a lime and a dash of hot pepper sauce (scotch bonnet or habanero) into the mixture and stir it. Grill your corn and brush generously with the crema mixture. Roll in goat cheese, or use a butter knife to spread the cheese on the cob, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Recipe Card
Street Corn 3 Ways: Mexican, Greek & Caribbean
Ingredients
Mexican
- 8 cobs of corn husks removed or peeled back
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ½ lime juiced, plus 2 limes quartered for serving
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup queso cotija or feta cheese crumbled
Greek
- 8 cobs of corn husks removed or peeled back
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ lemon juiced, plus 1 lemon cut into 8 wedges for serving
- ¼ cup fresh oregano chopped (2 teaspoon dried oregano)
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Caribbean
- 8 cobs of corn husks removed or peeled back
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ½ lime juiced, plus 2 limes quartered for serving
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup queso cotija or feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
Mexican
- In a small bowl, mix together the crema, lime juice, chipotle powder, and ¼ cup of cilantro. Set aside.
- Heat the barbecue to medium-high heat. Place the corn directly on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the kernels begin to turn black.
- Spread the crumbled cheese on a large plate. Brush each cob of corn with a generous amount of the crema mixture. Roll the corn in the cheese, then top with a sprinkling of remaining cilantro. Squeeze the juice of a lime wedge on top and enjoy!
Greek
- In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and 2 tablespoon of oregano. Set aside.
- Heat the barbecue to medium-high heat. Place the corn directly on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the kernels begin to turn black.
- Spread the crumbled cheese on a large plate. Brush each cob of corn with a generous amount of the yogurt mixture. Roll the corn in the cheese, then top with a sprinkling of remaining oregano. Squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge on top and enjoy!
Caribbean
- In a small bowl, mix together the crema, lime juice, curry powder, pepper sauce and ¼ cup of cilantro. Set aside.
- Heat the barbecue to medium-high heat. Place the corn directly on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the kernels begin to turn black.
- Spread the crumbled cheese on a large plate. Brush each cob of corn with a generous amount of the crema mixture. Roll the corn in the cheese, then top with a sprinkling of remaining cilantro. Squeeze the juice of a lime wedge on top and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If you are eating these at a picnic, leave the husks attached to the corn. Peel the layers back and use a husk leaf to tie the husk together to they don’t burn while cooking.
- If you don’t have a barbecue, then roast the corn in the oven at 450° for about 30 minutes, turning every 8-10 minutes.
Ashley says
This was my first time ever having street corn and it was delicious. We made all three versions and couldn't decide which we liked best. We just used sour cream for all of them and it worked well. Love the recipe!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks ashley. We had trouble deciding our favourite too 😉