These Air Fryer Elotes (also known as Mexican street corn) are an easy and delicious Mexican side dish. Juicy charred corn on the cob coated in a homemade creamy mayo spread, topped with cotija cheese, chili powder, lime juice, and fresh cilantro.
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Why You Will Love These Air Fryer Elotes
This air fryer elotes recipe has so much flavor, made with only a few simple ingredients. You can serve this side dish any time of the year, but it's especially popular for holidays like Cinco de Mayo and summer parties. Serve this dish alongside fresh mango salsa with tortilla chips and tequila lime chicken wings. Here are some more reasons why you will love this recipe:
- This easy air fryer corn recipe helps save space on the grill. If you are not in the mood to fire up the grill or do not own a grill, using the air fryer is a great alternative. With this air fryer version, you still get that juicy charred corn taste without all the mess of grilling.
- Simple ingredients. Only a few fresh ingredients are needed to make this delicious corn-side dish recipe.
- Easy to make in such a short time. From start to finish this Mexican corn recipe can be made in only 20 minutes!
Air Fryer Elote Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make elote (air fryer street corn).
Ingredient Notes
- Corn: Look for fresh sweet corn on the cob. Remove the husks and silk and give it a rinse.
- Olive Oil: A small amount of oil helps crisp the corn. You could also use avocado oil or melted butter.
- Mayonnaise & Sour Cream: This creamy sauce mayonnaise mixture combination can be made with different variations and ratios. Our recipe uses a 70/30 sour cream to mayonnaise ratio. The mayonnaise we use is Primal Kitchen's avocado oil-based mayonnaise. It's one of the healthiest options available.
- Lime: You'll need fresh lime juice for the sauce, and a few extra lime wedges to squeeze over the top of the finished product.
- Cotija Cheese: This crumbly aged Mexican cheese is a key ingredient. It’s crumbly, salty, and creamy — perfect for sprinkling on top of charred corn. You can break apart and crumble the cheese with your fingers, but I highly recommend grating the block of cheese for a finer texture. If you can not find cotija cheese, you can also substitute it with parmesan cheese.
- Chili Powder & Cilantro: A dash of chili powder adds flavor to the sauce and sprinkles on top of the corn with fresh cilantro.
Find the printable recipe card with full instructions and measurements below.
How To Make Air Fryer Elotes
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to make this air fryer Mexican street corn recipe.
- Prepare the corn. Preheat your air fryer to 390° F. While you wait for your air fryer to preheat, brush each ear of corn with olive oil.
- Air fry the corn. Once your fryer is ready, place the corn in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-7 minutes. (If your air fryer basket is too small to fit all of the corn, you can air fry in batches).
- Rotate the corn. Halfway through flip the corn to ensure even cooking. Air fry for another 6-8 minutes (12-15 min of air frying time). Carefully remove the corn from the air fryer basket. Set the corn aside to cool before applying the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and chili powder until smooth.
- Coat the corn in the mayo sauce. Using a pastry brush, brush a thick layer of sauce all over each piece of corn.
- Add the cheese and garnishes. Sprinkle the crumbled salty cotija cheese all over each piece of corn, then top with a few sprinkles of chili powder and freshly chopped cilantro. Squeeze a small amount of lime juice over the top and serve immediately, while still warm.
Serve as Elotes or Esquites
Traditional Mexican street corn is served on the cob while esquites style is served in a cup, topped with the mayo mixture, lime juice, and spices. Esquites are commonly sold by street vendors in Mexico with a spoon to mix all the delicious ingredients!
- Elote style (on the cob): Char the corn on the cob and slather on the mayo sauce. Sprinkle on the cotija cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. Serve immediately warm with extra lime wedges.
- Esquites (in a cup): To make esquites, carefully slice the charred kernels from the corn cobs into a bowl and mix with the mayonnaise sauce. Spoon the mixture into a small clear glass cup, and top with chili powder, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Serve with a lime wedge and spoon.
Storage
This Mexican street can be reheated in the microwave and enjoyed throughout the week.
- To store: Elote is best served fresh, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Expert Tips
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket: To get the best possible char on the corn you want to place each ear in a single layer. If your air fryer tray is not able to fit all 4 ears of corn, it's better to air fry in batches.
- Cut the ears of corn in half: If you want to serve miniature versions at a party, cut the corn on the cob in half.
- Use fresh shucked corn. Fresh corn is best used within the first 1-2 days of purchase. To save on time, purchase already shucked corn.
- Sprinkle on the cheese, don’t roll. The cotija cheese gets clumpy after mixing with the mayo/sour cream mixture. Instead of rolling the corn on the cob directly in the cheese, I recommend sprinkling it on.
FAQ
Yes, you can boil the corn and make the corn on the grill. To grill - heat an outdoor grill over medium heat. Place the corn directly on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 10 minutes, rotating every few minutes for an even char.
Our favorite ways to serve this Mexican street-style corn is alongside homemade Mexican food or at a summer cookout.
A popular Mexican street food prepared by boiling or grilling ears of corn, and then slathering them with mayo or crema, lime juice, chile, and Mexican cotija cheese.
Recipes You'll Love To Serve With Elotes
I hope you love this air fryer elote recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Recipe
Air Fryer Elote (Mexican Street Corn in Air Fryer)
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, husks fully removed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup (60g) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (30g) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges of lime for serving
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, plus more to sprinkle on top at the end
- ½ cup finely grated cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the corn. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F. While you wait for your air fryer to preheat, brush each ear of corn with olive oil.
- Air fry the corn. Once your fryer is ready, place the corn in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-7 minutes. (If your air fryer basket is too small to fit all of the corn, you can air fry in batches).
- Rotate the corn. Halfway through flip the corn to ensure even cooking. Air fry for another 6-8 minutes (12-15 min of air frying time). Carefully remove the corn from the air fryer basket. Set the corn aside to cool before applying the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and chili powder until smooth.
- Coat the corn in the mayo sauce. Using a pastry brush, brush a thick layer of sauce all over each piece of corn.
- Add the cheese and garnishes. Sprinkle the crumbled salty cotija cheese all over each piece of corn, then top with a few sprinkles of chili powder and freshly chopped cilantro. Squeeze a small amount of lime juice over the top and serve immediately, while still warm.
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket: To get the best possible char on the corn you want to place each ear in a single layer. If your air fryer tray is not able to fit all 4 ears of corn, it's better to air fry in batches.
- Cut the ears of corn in half: If you want to serve miniature versions at a party, cut the corn on the cob in half.
- Use fresh shucked corn. Fresh corn is best used within the first 1-2 days of purchase. To save on time, purchase already shucked corn.
- Sprinkle on the cheese, don’t roll. The cotija cheese gets clumpy after mixing with the mayo/sour cream mixture. Instead of rolling the corn on the cob directly in the cheese, I recommend sprinkling it on.
Sarah says
Although my corn did not turn out as beautiful as Rebecca‘s, it was delicious and refreshing. What a lovely side dish for a hot summer day.
Rebecca Taig says
Sarah,
Thank you for leaving a review, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Have a lovely weekend!
kenny says
I can't believe how good these are, so simple!
Rosemary Lieberman says
I’m going to do this ! I love elotes but have only done it once myself and it was just too messy. Your tip about sprinkling the cheese willl make this so much easier to do. And now I’m trying out recipes for my new air fryer
Rebecca Taig says
A great excuse to use the new air fryer. You are going to love these elotes, let me know how they turn out. 🙂