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Street Corn Dip

Street corn dip (elote dip) with charred corn kernels folded into a smoky, creamy sauce and finished with cotija and Tajín. Like Mexican street corn dip in skillet form, it’s a quick roasted corn appetizer that serves warm with chips for a crowd-ready 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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Street Corn Dip base
  • 3 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen, thawed.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Crumbled; plus more 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 For garnish.
  • lime wedges For garnish and serving.
  • Tortilla chips For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

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

Notes

Pro tip: Let the corn char first without stirring for the full 3–4 minutes to build smoky flavor, then stir only after you see browned spots. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to keep it creamy. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate. Dietary swap: use light cream cheese and a reduced-fat Mexican crema/sour cream to cut calories while keeping the texture.