Mexican Corn Dip
by Chungah
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This creamy, cheesy Mexican street corn dip is an instant crowd-pleaser! So easy to make with corn, cotija, cilantro, chili powder and lime!
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This is one of those recipes you’ll keep coming back to. For parties, for casual summer gatherings, for holidays – this dip will always always deliver. It’s a hot party dip that hits just right every single time – it’s warm, creamy, cheesy, velvety, and just so darn perfect.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Corn Dip
- Best kind of party dip. Served hot or at room temperature, this is simply a crowd-favorite dip that will keep all the guests so happy.
- 15 minute recipe. This party dip requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples already on hand, and takes only 15 minutes to whip up.
- Just the right amount of creaminess. We have the perfect scoopable abilities with a hint of tanginess and a bit of spice all around.
- Flexible recipe. This is a great recipe to use frozen, canned or roasted corn when in season. And you can easily adapt the recipe to what you have on hand – add diced bell peppers for a pop of color, or use feta cheese or queso fresco instead!
What Is Mexican Corn Dip?
Also known as “street corn dip”, this dip is a take on everyone’s favorited Mexican street corn (also known as elote in Spanish), taking grilled corn and slathering with mayonnaise or crema, and sprinkling with chili powder and cotija. This is further transformed into the creamiest, dreamiest dip.
How to make Mexican corn dip
- Sauté the corn and jalapeño. Cook the corn kernels and jalapeño in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat until slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the seasonings. Gently fold in the mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, garlic and lime juice.
- Serve. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
What type of corn is best?
Fresh, frozen or canned corn will all work very well here!
Fresh
Fresh corn will yield the best overall flavor with its natural sweetness. Slice off the raw kernels first, then char the kernels with the jalapeños for that authentic elote flavor.
Frozen
Frozen corn is readily and conveniently available all year round, mimicking fresh corn remarkably well especially when in-season corn is not accessible. Thaw completely and drain well to avoid a watery corn dip.
Canned
Canned corn will be the fastest and easiest, requiring zero thawing or chopping. Always drain and rinse the corn thoroughly.
How to serve Mexican corn dip
Serve this just like any other dip – with your favorite dippers such as corn chips, pita chips, thick, sturdy tortilla chips or fresh veggies.
more favorited dip recipes
tools for this recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Mexican Corn Dip FAQ: frequently asked questions
Use plain Greek yogurt (a tad healthier) or sour cream.
Both feta cheese and queso fresco are excellent substitutes, and can be found at most local grocery stores.
For milder flavors, skip the jalapeños and chili powder or substitute a can of mild diced green chiles instead.
Sturdy tortilla chips or pita chips are both crowd favorites!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing is not recommended as dairy products tend to separate when frozen.
Mexican Corn Dip
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Add corn kernels and jalapeño, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in mayonnaise, cotija, cilantro, chili powder, garlic and lime juice.
- Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Get a deep char. Always sauté the corn first (fresh, frozen or canned) until deeply caramelized and slightly blackened for all the rich, smoky flavors.
- Make it lighter. For a more lighter dip, use plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise.
- Add more heat. For more heat, leave the seeds and membranes of the jalapeño or add an additional jalapeño. Skip completely for mild flavor. And always avoid touching your eyes and nose when handling jalapeño peppers.
- Add garnishes. Garnishes are always optional but a fresh sprinkle of cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese or chili powder will certainly take your dip to the next level, adding more flavor, texture and contrast.
- Serve warm or room temperature. Even though this is best served warm, this is also such a crowd favorite when served at room temperature, perfect for tailgating and game day.
- Make it hot (optional). For a hot baked party dip, sprinkle the top with extra cheese (ex. Mexican blend) and broil for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbling, watching carefully so the dip does not burn.
- Choose sturdy chips. Serve with thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips to manage the weight of the dip without breaking.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
This looks amazing! I’m going to try it for a party where I’m taking the appetizers…so how would you transport it since it says serve immediately but I can’t make it there. Does it need to be in a mini crock pot?
You can try to reheat it at the venue either in the microwave or on the stovetop. A slow cooker also sounds like a great idea but without trying it myself, I’m not entirely sure how it would keep on the WARM function.
So good! Roasted corn first. Served as a side for tostadas.
Yum!
I just made this for a BBQ tomorrow. And of course my husband and I had to taste it to make sure it’s good. We’ve already eaten 1/2 of it. It’s not making it to the party. Seriously delicious. Or should I say Damn Delicious.
That’s amazing, Kelly!
Could you possibly make it the day before??
You certainly can but this is really best when served day of! 🙂
Awesome dip. Also would make a great side. Used parmesan (canned fine stuff) instead of cotija and two teaspoons dried cilantro instrad of fresh as that was what I had on hand. Worked out great. My family loved this! Thank you and happy new year!
Best dip ever!!! We all devoured this in no time. My poor son- got home from work late, and all of us polished it off so he didn’t get to try it! I’ll make more today so he can have some this time
Made this tonight for pre-Thankgiving family dinner. It was great! Great app and fantastic as topping on the tacos.
Holy cow! This stuff is amazing! I made it last night and we had a little bit leftover. I was daydreaming about it all morning, but when i went to get it out at lunch time it was GONE!! My husband polished it off as a midnight snack last night. So….i made more for myself for lunch 🙂 I think I am going to nickname it Crack Corn Dip. It is crazy good. This is going to completely derail my weight loss goals…
Hmmm, I am a commercial gardener – have lots of corn now – found your recipe and I super like the idea of cutting the corn off the cob and not having to deal with the corn in the teeth thing. But, it looks to me the corn in the photos anyway is roasted. So, was this corn roasted before being cut off the cob?
I can plainly see the black roasting marks on the corn – which to me would taste pretty good – then cut it off the cob when it cools down and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Is that right?
The corn in the picture is roasted, however, as stated in the ingredients, you can use either frozen, canned, or roasted corn. Whichever you prefer! 🙂
Omg damn delicious… how do you do this? You post an awesome (simple straightforward) recipe and you get 100000000 ridiculous questions about it… you must be the most patient lovely person in the world. Can I use canned corn, yogurt, salted butter, serve it hot, chill the corn, make it a week before, put my finger in my ear…. and so on! How do you do this??? ( I was wondering when people quit experimenting or thinking for themselves)!!! Done ranting… and I thought before this I was patient and lovely.. guess not! Thanks for a great recipe! :-).
DELICIOUS!
What can be subbed for the mayonnaise? Cream cheese? Greek yogurt?
Greek yogurt would be a great (and healthier) substitute!
This looks so amazing and I can’t wait to try it! I’m making it this weekend for my moms birthday and using frozen corn. So now for a silly question: do I thaw the corn beforehand? I feel like yes, but I’ve never cooked with frozen corn before besides throwing it in a pot to boil : )
Thank you!
No need to thaw! 🙂
Made this today. Used grated Parmesan cheese instead of Cotija cheese as someone recommended and it was delicious! Will definitely be making this again. So easy and so yummy! Thanks for another great recipe!
This recipe came out really good! Both my kids loved it, i did too!
This is hands down, the best corn dip I’ve ever made! Like, so good, no one ate the guacamole, and I make really good guacamole! 🙂 I always get asked for the recipe! Thank you for this deliciousness!
Corn with mayo and cotija cheese has become so trendy lately, it’s no surprise I loved this dish. My mother, who is not at all a fan of corn, also enjoyed a few bites of this. It’s something to do with the smoky/sweet/savory bite of combining chili powder, corn, and jalapeno. So good!
And while it tastes great the next day, as well, it certainly doesn’t look pretty. It gets a little muddled, I think. But what a great recipe! Was very happy with the way it turned out.
Has anyone tried this with “light” or “non-fat” mayo or “light” Miracle Whip – it would cut some calories?
Yes, Miracle Whip should work! 🙂
I bought Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn frozen in the bag and made this. It’s incredibly delicious! I will serve it as a side dish tonight along with my famous enchiladas and beer. My cardiologist may not approve but ya gotta live a little while you can!
how about the enchiladas and beer recipe 😉
I love this recipe! I got lazy and use canned corn but it tastes delicious just the same! Thank you!