If you’re looking for an easy way to serve up this seasons corn, this authentic Esquites recipe is the perfect snack or accompaniment to your summer BBQ.
If you love authentic Mexican recipes as much I do, try my Charro Beans, Chiles Rellenos, and Horchata.
I am a little obsessed with Mexican street corn and I love it cut from the cob even more than I love traditional elote (on the cob). You can use frozen corn for this recipe and enjoy esquites all year long!
What are Esquites?
Esquite, also called elote en vaso (corn in a cup), is a common snack sold from food carts in the streets of Mexico. It’s similar to elote but the corn is cut off the cob and served warm, in disposable cups with Mexican crema, chili powder and lime.
How to make Esquites:
1. Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add onion and pepper and saute until tender. Add water and corn. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender (about 5-8 minutes). Season with black pepper and a little salt and divide among 4 cups.
2. To each cup add 1 heaping teaspoon of mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon of Mexican crema (or sour cream). Stir to combine. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese and chili powder, to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top.
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:
To make-ahead: Saute and cook onion and corn mixture. Allow to cool and store covered in the fridge. Prepare the topping ingredients and store in the fridge. When ready to serve, rewarm corn mixture in a skillet before dividing into cups and adding topping.
To freeze corn: After cooking the corn, allow to cool and store in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, rewarm corn mixture in a skillet before dividing into cups and adding topping.
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Recipe
Esquites
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter , softened
- 1/3 cup diced onion , (optional)
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper , seeded, diced, (optional)
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 ears corn* , husked, cut from the cob (about 3 cups)
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 5 Tablespoons Mexican sour cream
- 1/3 cup shredded cotija cheese or queso fresco*
- Chili powder, Tajin, or hot sauce , to taste
- 1 lime , quartered
Instructions
- Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add onion and pepper and saute until tender. Add water and corn. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender (about 5-8 minutes).
- Season with black pepper and a little salt and divide among 4 cups.
- To each cup add 1 heaping teaspoon of mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon of Mexican crema (or sour cream). Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle generously with grated cheese and chili powder, to taste. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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This was absolutely delicious. The entire family rated it 10/10. We unfortunately didn’t have sour cream so we just used more mayo, but the sour cream definitely would have improved it. I love how it tasted with the onion! I’ll definitely make this again.
So yummy! My daughter made this to eat with our Birria Tacos (must try recipe). It was a nice sweet and crunchy side with our tacos and beans.
SOOOO good!