This Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn recipe is one every home cook will love!
It’s a simple recipe with charred air fryer corn, creamy cheese, lime, and a zesty tangy sauce — ready in under 20 minutes. A classic elote recipe turned air fryer version, it’s the easy recipe you’ll want for a quick weeknight side. Packed with bold mexican flavors, it’s the perfect side dish and a true flavor explosion.
What’s a Mexican Street Corn?
Mexican Street Corn is a classic mexican favorite you’ll find on street corners, and now you can make it at home with this air fryer version. Walk past street vendors or street carts on the streets of Mexico, and you’ll see elote (corn) — a popular mexican street food made with grilled corn, coated in creamy mayo, cheese, chili, and lime. The result is a quick and delicious dish to serve any night of the week!
Mexican street corn is one of the most popular street food dishes, and it’s so loved in the United States that you’ll now find it on the menu at many Mexican restaurants. The best part is how it turns delicious corn into something bold and flavorful, while still keeping its natural flavor.
We love this air fryer version because it makes a simple mexican street corn recipe in just minutes — an easy recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
You can also turn it into a Mexican Street Corn Salad, or pair it with our Chimichurri Steak Tacos (Tacos de Bistec), Carne Asada recipe, or Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. It even works with a main dish as simple as hot dogs. And if you enjoy air fryer recipes, our Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Chipotle Rub is another easy air fryer recipe that makes a complete weeknight meal.
Jump to:
🍽 Equipment You’ll Need
Making this recipe doesn’t require much, but the right tools make the process easier. Of course, you’ll need an air fryer to get that charred corn effect without firing up the grill. A small bowl (for making the mexican crema mixture) is handy. Use a pastry brush to coat each ear of corn evenly with creamy sauce before adding the toppings. and finally, serve the finished elotes on a serving platter.
📝Ingredients and Substitutions for the Perfect Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn Recipe🌽
This traditional recipe comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. The key is using the freshest corn you can find, because nothing beats fresh sweet corn for that authentic flavor, though frozen corn works in a pinch. When combined with a creamy, tangy mexican crema mixture, bold spices, and classic toppings, these traditional ingredients take your elote to the next level. Expect spicy flavors, a little kick, and plenty of extra flavor!
See the Printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities
📝Ingredients Notes
Most of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store including Aldi, or larger grocery stores such as Walmart.
- Corn – fresh sweet corn is best.
- Butter – the base starts with corn brushed in butter for extra flavor and to help it crisp up in the air fryer. If you’d like, vegetable oil such as olive oil or avocado oil, or even a quick mist of cooking spray, will work.
- Creamy Topping – mayo and mexican crema are the traditional choices. For this recipe, we used greek yogurt instead of crema (essentially table cream), but sour cream works just as well.
- Citrus – fresh lime juice brings brightness and tang. If you don’t have limes on hand, lemon juice is a good substitute.
- Spices – chile powder is typical, but we used a mix of ground chipotle powder for an extra smoky flavor and cayenne pepper for a bold spicy flavor. The amounts are kept light for balance, but you can easily add more heat. In a pinch, chili powder can replace the cayenne and chipotle. I usually use garlic powder, though smashed fresh garlic works too.
- Cheese – the classic choice is cotija, one of my favorite Mexican cheese options for its bold, aged flavor. While crumbled queso fresco can be used, a salty cotija cheese gives the best taste. Finely crumbled feta cheese or grated parmesan cheese are quick substitutes, but if you can find cotija, it’s worth it!
- Cilantro – the best last topping, and no substitute!
🥣Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Mexican Corn on the cob in the air fryer is simple and quick.
- Remove the corn husks and silks from each ear of corn, then pat dry. Preheat the air fryer to medium-high heat (about 400°F) for 4-5 minutes.
Melt the butter and allow the crema ingredients to come to room temperature.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the corn ears with the melted butter.
- Place the corn cobs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the cooking time to 12–14 minutes and temperature to 385°F, turning halfway. Brush with any remaining butter after flipping. Cook until tender with lightly charred kernels.
- While the corn cooks, make the mayonnaise mixture: in a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients, reserving half of the cayenne and chipotle for topping.
- Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- Once cooked, let the hot corn rest for 2-3 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
- Using the pastry brush, spread the elote sauce generously over all sides of the cooked corn.
- Sprinkle with the rest of the ingredients — the remaining cayenne and chipotle, crumbled cotija cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Finish each piece of corn with a squeeze of lime juice and serve with extra lime wedges. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed — add more spice or lime for extra punch.
The combination of the mexican crema, mayo, and spices in the elote sauce is what makes this recipe so delicious!
This delicious recipe highlights the best corn flavors in every bite of Mexican street style corn. It’s one of those favorite things you’ll want to make again and again. The most delicious way to enjoy corn at home. Try it once, and it just might become your new favorite side dish and the most delicious thing on your table!
🧑🍳Recipe Variations
There are many different ways to enjoy this dish, and here are some of our favorite ways to change it up:
- Make it spicier or zestier – add a dash of hot sauce for extra heat or sprinkle tajin seasoning for a tangy citrus kick that pairs perfectly with lime.
- Mexican street corn salad – use leftover mexican street corn by cutting the corn kernels off the cob with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Toss them in a large bowl with red onion, cilantro, and fresh lime for easier eating — perfect for barbecues.
- Grilled mexican street corn – fire up an outdoor grill, cook over an open grill, or use a grill pan to grill corn. This method adds a smoky flavor that’s closest to the traditional street version.
- Creamy Corn Dip – cut the kernels from the cobs and stir them into the mayo sauce for a rich creamy corn dip. Serve with tortilla chips for a crowd-pleasing snack.
- Esquites Recipe / Elote en Vaso – turn the corn into this popular mexican treat by serving the kernels in cups with crema, cheese, and lime zest — a fun, handheld twist on classic elotes.
🍲Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, place the corn in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For longer storage, cut the kernels off the cob and transfer them to a freezer-safe container — perfect for tossing into salads or soups later.
We love using extra corn to make our Mexican-Style Elote (Corn) Salad recipe or serving it alongside mains like grilled skirt steak and bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. It’s a smart way to enjoy those bold flavors again without any waste.
⭐Leave a review!
Make a big impact by showing some love to your favorite food creators with just a click!
Your comments and ratings are crucial for supporting the culinary creators you love! ❤️ If you've tried this recipe or have any questions, don't hesitate – please take a moment to leave a rating by clicking the stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐below and leave a comment 💬
Plus share your delightful photos on social media using #alatinflair or by tagging us @alatinflair
Your engagement helps us grow and keeps the foodie community buzzing!
Happy cooking! And Buen Provecho!
And thanks for visiting A Latin Flair! Gracias! 😊
🍽️Related Recipes
If you’re looking for other recipes for the corn lover, this is the place to start. From party-friendly corn recipes like our cheesy corn dip, to fresh summer plates like mango-shrimp ceviche with corn, we’ve got you covered. Try the Mexican-style elote (corn) salad recipe for the best corn side dish, or our Quesadillas with pulled pork carnitas, corn and black beans, a favorite option that quickly became one of our favorite corn recipes!
🍴Pairing Suggestions
If you are a Mexican Food Lover, here are some mexican recipes to pair with our Mexican Corn Elote. These popular recipes make the perfect main course to serve alongside corn and are some of our favorite Mexican recipes. Each recipe brings bold flavors to the table and pairs beautifully with elote for a complete meal.
📖 GET THE RECIPE! 🍽️
Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This Mexican Street Corn Recipe (Air Fryer Method) is a quick and easy twist on traditional Mexican street corn. Made with fresh corn, a creamy sauce, cheese, and lime, this Mexican corn recipe delivers bold flavor in minutes. A perfect air fryer street corn version that’s simple and you’ll want to make again and again!
Ingredients
This recipe comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. The key is using the freshest corn you can find. When combined with a creamy, tangy mexican crema mixture, bold spices, and classic toppings, these traditional ingredients take your elote to the next level. Expect spicy flavors, a little heat kick, and plenty of extra flavor!
Ingredients for air frying the corn
- 4 ears of Corn
- 2 tablespoons of Salted Butter
For the Mexican Crema Mixture
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (divided, see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Chipotle Pepper (divided, see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice.
For the topping
- 1/2 cup Mexican Cotija Cheese (see notes)
- 1/4 cup chopped Fresh Cilantro
- Remaining half of the Chipotle and Cayenne Pepper.
Instructions
Air Fry the Corn:
- Remove the corn husks and silks from each ear of corn, then pat dry. Preheat the air fryer to medium-high heat (about 400°f) for 4-5 minutes. Melt the butter and allow the crema ingredients to come to room temperature.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the corn ears with the melted butter.
- Place the corn in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the cooking time to 12–14 minutes and temperature to 385°F, turning halfway. Brush with any remaining butter after flipping. Cook until tender with lightly charred kernels.
Make the Mexican Sauce:
- While the corn cooks, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients, reserving half of the cayenne and chipotle for topping.
- Mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Once cooked, let the hot corn rest for 2-3 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
- Using the pastry brush, spread the sauce generously over all sides of the cooked corn.
Add the toppings:
- Sprinkle with the rest of the ingredients — cotija cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and the remaining cayenne and chipotle.
- Finish each piece of corn with a squeeze of lime juice and serve with extra lime wedges.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed — add more spice or lime for extra punch.
Notes
Using yogurt in the sauce: Mayo and Mexican crema are the traditional choices. For this recipe, we used plain greek yogurt instead of Mexican crema because it's easier to find and it does a great job of adding creaminess and extra protein. Sour cream is also a good substitute.
Spices: In a pinch, chili powder can replace the cayenne and chipotle. We usually use garlic powder, though smashed fresh garlic works too.
Cheese: The traditional choice is Mexican Cotija, which you can now find in many grocery stores, including Aldi and Walmart. While crumbled queso fresco works, the bold, salty flavor of Cotija gives the best results. Finely crumbled feta or grated Parmesan are easy substitutes, but if you can find Cotija, it’s definitely worth it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One ear corn
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 9.8 g
- Sodium: 471.9 mg
- Fat: 23.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.9 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
Leave a comment! I love hearing from you. Use the form below to leave your comments or to ask any questions (your email address will not be published). And don't forget to leave a review! Muchas gracias!