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!

A chip being dipped into crock of Mexican corn dip

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

Ingredients for Mexican corn dip on a white counter

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

Two tablespoons of butter melting in a saucepan

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.

Mexican corn dip in a pan with cheese and cilantro

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.

Overhead shot of crock full of Mexican corn dip

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.

A crock of Mexican corn dip on a counter with bowl of chips and other garnishes

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

4.60 from 10 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: to 6 servings

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Description

This quick and easy corn dip has all the flavor of traditional Mexican street corn, but in a zesty dip that's ready in less than 30 minutes. Grab your favorite chips and get to dipping!

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 corn kernels
1 jalapeño
1 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 mayonnaise
3-4 Tablespoons cotija cheese
3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla or corn chips and enjoy!
Lime wedges

Video

Notes

Corn: Fresh corn cut off the cob is best, but frozen corn that has not been thawed also works well. If you need to use canned corn, you want to drain all the liquid and pat it dry with paper towels to get it as dry as you can.

Cotija cheese: This is a specialty Mexican cheese that your local store might not have, so you can substitute Feta cheese.

Jalapeño: You're free to use as little or as much of the diced jalapeño as you want – if you'd prefer not to have it at all, just omit it altogether.

Texture: If you'd like the dip to be creamier, increase the amount of mayonnaise and cotija cheese!

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.