Street Corn Queso takes everything you love about classic Mexican street corn (elotes) and turns it into the ultimate crowd pleasing dip. It's smoky, cheesy, a little spicy, and ready in under 30 minutes! It's packed with charred sweet corn, tomatoes, jalapenos, and three kinds of cheese!
Street Corn Queso Recipe
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If you're a fan of elotes or esquites, this dip is going to become your new go-to appetizer. Charred corn, melty cheddar and cream cheese, a hint of jalapeno and Rotel, all finished with cotija and fresh cilantro. It's got all the same flavors as street corn in one irresistible, scoopable dip.
This is the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at game days, potlucks, or taco night. Serve it as an appetizer or side with our famous Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell Copycat Recipe) for the ultimate spread.
What is Street Corn Queso
Street corn queso combines two popular Mexican appetizers, elotes (Mexican street corn) and queso dip. Traditional elotes are grilled cobs of corn that are covered in a creamy mayo based sauce and topped with cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime. This fun dip recipe takes all the great flavors of elotes, and melts them into a warm dip. Served with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, or pita bread to dip, it's a fun and unique appetizer you will be making on repeat!
More Fun Dips
Ingredients
- Corn - you can use a bag of frozen corn or canned corn for this recipe. If you can find fire roasted corn that's even better as you can skip the charring step!
- Rotel - drained well, adds tang and a little extra heat.
- Cheddar Cheese - gives the dip an extra creamy texture.
- Cream Cheese - gives the dip the best rich and cheesy flavor.
- Cotija Cheese - a classic topping for elotes. It is crumbled on top of the dip for a salty finish (feta cheese works as a substitute).
- Evaporated Milk - creates the smooth, creamy base for the queso (NOT canned sweetened condensed milk).
- Jalapeno - this is not an overly spicy pepper so you don't need to worry about it making the dip too spicy. Once the seeds and ribs (the white lines the seed grow on) are removed it's a mild pepper.
- Onion - finely diced, adds sweetness and texture.
- Oil - to sauté and char the corn.
- Butter - the base for sautéing the aromatics.
- Cilantro - if you prefer to use parsley you can, it gives the dip a nice pop of green color.
- Cumin and Chili Powder - the classic warm and smoky spices that give the dip its street corn flavor.
- Garlic - everything is better with garlic. Fresh garlic is recommended but garlic powder can also be used.
How to Make Street Corn Queso
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of page
Prepare the Corn
- If using cobs of corn: Preheat bbq or grill pan to medium heat. Brush the cobs of corn with olive oil, place on the preheated grill. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side or until the corn is nicely charred. Remove from the grill and allow to cool until cool enough to handle. Carefully slice the kernels off the cob and set aside.
- If using frozen corn: preheat a cast iron pan or regular frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the corn and cook until it is lightly charred.
- If using canned corn: drain the corn very well. Preheat a cast iron pan or regular frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the corn and cook until it is lightly charred.
Prepare the Queso
- In a large skillet or sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the diced onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the cumin and chili powder. Then pour the can of evaporated milk over top. Stir until the milk starts to slightly bubble.
- Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Stir continuously until the cheeses are fully melted. This will take about 10-12 minutes. Do not increase the heat to speed up the process, the cheese needs to be melted slowly.
- Add in the drained can of tomatoes with diced chilies and half of the grilled corn. Mix until evenly combined.
- Top the queso with the remaining grilled corn, cotija cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with chips to dip and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Street Corn Queso
- Low and slow - melt the cheese over medium heat, not high. Rushing it with high heat can cause the queso to separate or become grainy.
- Char the Corn Well - the charred bits are where a lot of the "street corn" flavor comes from, so don't skip this step even with frozen or canned corn.
- Adjust the Heat - leave some jalapeno seeds in for extra spice, or skip the jalapeno entirely for a milder dip. You can also swap the cheddar cheese for a jalapeno Havarti for added spice!
- Make Ahead - this dip is great for make ahead because you can prep it before your guests arrive and keep it covered in the skillet or frying pan. Just before serving simply reheat the dip and stir until warmed through. Then add your garnishes on top and serve the dip right out of the frying pan with tortilla chips to dip!
FAQ
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, adding a splash of milk if it's thickened too much. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
Cover the cooled dip with foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Cheese based dips like this one don't freeze particularly well, as the texture can become grainy or separate once thawed. It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.
Yes! This dip is perfect for make ahead. You can prep the dip up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat stove top or in the microwave before serving. Keep the topping for the dip on the side and add them on top just before serving.
This recipe is vegetarian.
This recipe is gluten free. Serve with gluten free corn chips to dip.
Fun Taco Pairings
Enjoy!
- Sab
Street Corn Queso
Ingredients
- 4 cobs of corn (or 3 cups frozen corn, or 3 cans corn drained very well)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 1 jalapeno (seeds removed, finely diced)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature, cut into cubes)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (10 ounce can Rotel, drained)
- ½ cup cotija cheese (or feta cheese, crumbled)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (or parsley, chopped)
For Serving
- Chips (Pita bread, or vegetable sticks to dip)
Instructions
Prepare the Corn
- If using cobs of corn: Preheat bbq or grill pan to medium heat. Brush the cobs of corn with olive oil, place on the preheated grill. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side or until the corn is nicely charred. Remove from the grill and allow to cool until cool enough to handle. Carefully slice the kernels off the cob and set aside.
- If using frozen corn: preheat a cast iron pan or regular frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the corn and cook until it is lightly charred.
- If using canned corn: drain the corn very well. Preheat a cast iron pan or regular frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the corn and cook until it is lightly charred.
Prepare the Queso
- In a large skillet or sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the diced onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the cumin and chili powder. Then pour the can of evaporated milk over top. Stir until the milk starts to slightly bubble.
- Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Stir continuously until the cheeses are fully melted. This will take about 10-12 minutes. Do not increase the heat to speed up the process, the cheese needs to be melted slowly.
- Add in the drained can of tomatoes with diced chilies and half of the grilled corn. Mix until evenly combined.
- Top the queso with the remaining grilled corn, cotija cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with chips to dip and enjoy!
Ana says
So good and loaded with flavour. Was a huge hit!