This grilled Mexican Street Corn is an addictive side dish or snack - chargrilled till tender, smothered in a spicy and creamy sauce and generously topping of chopped cilantro and cotija cheese!
Remove husks from corn cobs. (Soak corn in water for 10-15 minutes to add moisture; this step is optional.)
Drizzle olive oil over the corn cobs and use your fingers or a pastry brush to rub the oil over the corn.
Grill corn on the preheated grill, turning every 3 minutes, until corn is cooked on all sides and beginning to char (about 20 minutes total).
Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, crema, and mayonnaise.
Brush sauce mixture generously over the grilled corn on all sides.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
Soak the corn: Before grilling, you can soak the corn cobs in cold water for about 10-15 minutes. This helps to keep the corn moist and prevents it from drying out during grilling.
This recipe makes enough sauce to cover up to 12 ears of corn. It is served as a side dish. I don’t recommend decreasing the amount of sauce as this will make it tricky to measure the spices.
You can make the sauce the day before to store in the refrigerator as a way to reduce overall recipe time when making your Mexican Street Corn.
Select high-quality corn from local farmer's markets and fresh produce stores. It will definitely elevate the taste of this dish!
Customize the sauce: The sauce for Mexican Street Corn is versatile, so feel free to adjust the spice level, tanginess, or creaminess to suit your taste. You can add more cayenne pepper for heat, a squeeze of fresh lime juice for extra tang, or adjust the ratio of crema and mayonnaise for desired creaminess.