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Street Corn Dip

Street corn dip (elote dip) combines charred corn kernels with a smoky, creamy sauce and tangy lime. It’s finished with cotija, Tajín, and a warm chip-dip style texture that feels like Mexican street corn in bowl form.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 3 cup corn kernels
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened so it melts smoothly.
mayonnaise
  • 0.3333 cup mayonnaise
Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.3333 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Crumbled, plus more for topping.
Tajín or chili lime seasoning
  • 1 tsp Tajín or chili lime seasoning
garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
pickled jalapeño, chopped
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño Chopped.
Salt
  • 1 salt To taste.
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
  • 1 fresh cilantro For garnish.
  • 1 lime wedges For garnish and serving.
Tortilla chips for serving
  • 1 tortilla chips For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, then add the corn kernels and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until you see charred spots and the pan looks slightly dry. Keep the heat high so the corn browns instead of steaming.
  2. Stir the corn, then cook 2 more minutes over high heat until more kernels are browned and you can smell a toasted, smoky aroma. The corn should look glossy and lightly blistered.
Make the creamy elote sauce
  1. Reduce the heat to medium, add the softened cream cheese, and stir until fully melted into the corn. Scrape the bottom and sides so no cream cheese lumps remain.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, cotija cheese, Tajín, garlic powder, smoked paprika, fresh lime juice, and chopped pickled jalapeño until combined and heated through. Look for a thick, creamy sauce coating the corn as it starts to bubble gently.
  3. Taste and adjust salt, then transfer the dip to a serving bowl. The surface should be smooth and creamy with evenly distributed corn kernels.
Top and serve
  1. Top with extra cotija, a dusting of Tajín, and fresh cilantro. Finish with a lime wedge so it’s ready for quick serving.
  2. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Set the chips around the bowl for easy dipping.

Notes

Pro tip: thaw frozen corn thoroughly and pat off excess moisture so you get real char instead of steaming. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of crema or sour cream if needed. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy base can separate. For a dairy-light swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and light sour cream/crema.