Quick & Easy Mexican Corn Dip
This quick and easy Mexican street corn dip recipe has all the flavors of Mexican street corn, but in a zesty dip that's ready in less than 30 minutes. Grab your favorite chips and get to dipping!
I'm a massive fan of Mexican street corn, which is why I love my Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos so much. I could be at an Italian restaurant having a fancy pasta dinner and someone could offer me street corn and I'd be like “YES PLEASE” while I knock people over to get to it.
The only problem with it is that it's hard to find fresh corn on the cob when corn isn't in season around here [insert corn-loving sobs here]. That's why I like to make this Mexican Corn Dip! All the flavor, but convenient year round (and fewer kernels stuck in my teeth from gnawing on the cob like a rabid animal, which is an added bonus).
This will easily become a staple for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, Superbowl Sunday, Taco Tuesday, or… any random day of the week of any random month.
Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – This is to melt in the pan before cooking everything
- Corn kernels – Fresh, frozen (but not thawed) or canned (as dry as possible)
- Jalapeño peppers – Seeded and diced for heat and flavor
- Garlic – If you can't get your hands on minced garlic, you can substitute garlic powder
- Mayonnaise – You could substitute this for sour cream or cream cheese, if you had to
- Cotija cheese – You could substitute for another crumbled cheese like queso fresco, Parmesan, goat cheese or feta
- Cilantro – I love a lot of fresh cilantro, but you can omit it if you're not a fan
- Chili powder, or more, to taste
- Chipotle powder, or more, to taste
- Lime – You'll want freshly squeezed lime juice and wedges for garnish
- Other garnish options – More crumbled cotija cheese, jalapeño slices, green onions, chives
How to Make Mexican Corn Dip
Step 1: In a large saucepan (preferably high-sided), melt butter over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Add corn and diced jalapeño and cook over medium-high heat until lightly charred, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir to combine for another 1 minute.
Step 3: Add mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, chipotle powder, and lime juice and stir to coat and combine.
Step 4: Give it a taste, then add salt and pepper as you see fit. Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla or corn chips and enjoy!
Tips for making the most flavorful Mexican corn dip
- Choice of corn: I like to use a mix of white corn and yellow sweet corn, but using just one or the other works just as well.
- Spice level: I'm a big fan of jalapenos and spices like chipotle powder and chili powder for flavor and a little heat, but I'm not a big fan of “make you sweat” kind of spicy. But if you do, you can do two things:
- Don't remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeno
- And add more jalapeno and spices than the recipe calls for to accommodate your preference!
- Cheeeeeese: Crumbled cotija cheese is probably my favorite cheese on the planet – but I know that it's not always easily accessible for everyone. If you're having trouble finding it yourself, you can substitute feta cheese.
- Saucepan choice: Grab the biggest saucepan you have, preferably a high-sided one. The corn might pop a bit and that will help keep it contained while you're stirring everything as it cooks.
- Stir, but not too much: You'll want to stir the mixture frequently, but not constantly. You want to give the corn enough time to lightly char against the pan, and if you're constantly stirring it won't get a chance.
Do I have to use fresh corn?
Fresh corn cut off the cob works the best, but it's not your only option.
- Frozen corn that has not been thawed also works well!
- And as a last resort, you can use canned corn – but you'll need to put in a bit of effort to dry it out as much as possible. Drain it with a colander, then let it sit on a couple paper towels and pat dry with another paper towel.
The reason the moisture is so important is that if it's too wet it won't char, and that's what helps give this dip part of its signature flavor.
What to serve with Mexican corn dip
You want sturdy chips for this one this it's a chunky dip – no weak, liquidy salsa vibes here.
So grab your favorite thick tortilla chips, pita chips, scoop-shaped corn chips, or even ridged potato chips.
Or, you know, just grab a ladle I mean… spoon.
Other uses for this dip
While this recipe is the perfect dip as is, you can also add it to lots of other appetizers and main dishes:
- Add it as a topping to your favorite taco recipe (my favorite already has corn, but frankly I can never get enough so LOAD ME UP, SISTER)
- Use it as a filling for burritos
- Pile it on top of nachos with some shredded chicken or ground beef
- It's also awesome on top of a fresh salad with sliced avocado and extra squeezes of lime juice
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Quick and Easy Mexican Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups corn kernels, fresh, frozen (but not thawed) or canned (as dry as possible)
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (or less, to taste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 3-4 Tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled
- 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, leaves stripped and chopped
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon chipotle powder, or more, to taste
- Juice of 1 lime, about 2 Tablespoons
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lime wedges, crumbled cotija and jalapeño slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan (preferably high-sided), melt butter over medium high heat.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add corn and diced jalapeño and cook over medium high heat until lightly charred, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir to combine for another 1 minute.4 cups (656 g) corn kernels1 jalapeño1 clove garlic
- Add mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, chipotle powder and lime juice and stir to coat and combine. Give it a taste, then add salt and pepper as you see fit.1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise3-4 Tablespoons (3 Tablespoons) cotija cheese3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) chili powder1/8 teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) chipotle powderJuice of 1 limeSalt and pepper
- Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla or corn chips and enjoy!Lime wedges
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
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How can you reheat this dish if you have to make ahead of time?
I’d recommend setting a slow cooker/Instant Pot on a very low heat to keep it warm until serving. But if you need to store it in the fridge and then reheat it later, heating it in a saucepan over low heat should do the trick.
I ended up making a few substitutions and missing out a few things but it was still delicious and a big hit!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I really appreciate it <3