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Street Corn Dip

Street corn dip (elote dip) that brings charred corn kernels and a smoky, creamy sauce together in a bubbling skillet. Topped with cotija, Tajín, and a crema drizzle for a Mexican street corn dip that’s perfect as an easy party dip.
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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: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 3 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen; thaw frozen kernels.
Dip base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened for easy melting.
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Crumbled; reserve some for topping.
  • 1 tsp Tajín or chili lime seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño Chopped.
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
Serving
  • Tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, add the corn, and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred, then stir and cook 2 more minutes.
  2. Keep cooking until the kernels are deeply browned in spots, then scrape any browned bits into the corn.
Melt and build the creamy elote-style sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium, add the cream cheese, and stir until fully melted into the corn.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, cotija, Tajín, garlic powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and pickled jalapeño until everything is combined and heated through.
Finish and serve warm
  1. Taste and adjust salt, then transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
  2. Top with extra cotija, a dusting of Tajín, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge, and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Notes

For best char, use a hot skillet and avoid stirring during the first 3–4 minutes so the corn can brown. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of crema if needed. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the dairy. For a dairy-light option, replace cream cheese and Mexican crema with a reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream.