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Street Corn Dip

Street corn dip (elote dip) with charred corn kernels folded into a smoky, creamy skillet sauce. Topped with cotija and Tajín and served warm as an easy party chip 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: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn kernels
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen (thawed)
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
cream cheese
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.33 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
cotija cheese
  • 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
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño chopped
salt
  • salt to taste
fresh cilantro
  • fresh cilantro for garnish
lime wedges
  • lime wedges for garnish and serving
tortilla chips
  • tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, add corn, and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the edges look charred. Keep the skillet hot so you get smoky spots on the kernels.
  2. Stir the corn and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, letting additional kernels blister and darken. You should see charred flecks throughout.
Make the creamy elote dip
  1. Reduce heat to medium, add cream cheese, and stir until fully melted into the corn. The mixture should turn smooth and glossy.
  2. Stir in mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, cotija, Tajín, garlic powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and pickled jalapeño until everything is combined and heated through. Keep stirring until the sauce looks uniform and slightly thick.
  3. Taste and adjust salt as needed, then transfer the dip to a serving bowl. The dip should be bubbling lightly from residual heat.
Top and serve
  1. Top with extra cotija, a dusting of Tajín, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge. Finish with a fresh, bright look on top.
  2. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Plate chips around the edge for easy dipping.

Notes

For the best char, use a hot skillet and avoid stirring during the first 3–4 minutes so the corn can brown. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days and reheat gently on low in a skillet or microwave, stirring often. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy base can separate. For a lighter option, use light Mexican crema and reduced-fat cream cheese to keep the dip creamy while cutting calories.