This Elote with Canned Corn recipe is like Mexican street corn salad served in a handy-dandy cup. Made with fresh, frozen, or canned corn, these easy 10-minute Mexican corn salad cups are creamy, flavorful, and topped with crunchy Fritos!
Be sure to try Mexican Street Corn Pinwheels and Corn Dip with Cream Cheese next.
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Elote en vaso, aka esquites, or corn in a cup, is a popular Mexican street food made with corn, onions, lime juice, chili powder, cotija cheese, and mayonnaise served in a plastic or styrofoam cup.
My easy recipe for corn in a cup may not exactly be authentic, but it sure is a fun appetizer or snack to serve at parties, picnics, or out on the boat on a hot summer day. To learn how to make the real deal, try this authentic Mexican esquites recipe.
You're Going to Love This
- Elote in a cup has all the flavors of Mexican street corn in a cute cup!
- Fun appetizer or snack for holidays, picnics, parties, and game day -- everyone loves having their own individual appetizer!
- Perfect side dish to serve with your favorite Mexican dishes for Cinco de Mayo
- Delicious elote recipe, off the cob (less messy!)
- Crunchy Fritos add great taste and texture to these creamy corn cups
Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
Sweet corn. Canned corn or frozen and thawed corn kernels work great in elote in a cup. I especially like fire-roasted corn. If you have fresh corn, you can use it fresh raw, boiled, or grilled.
Sour cream. Sour cream adds tang to the mayonnaise dressing.
Cotija cheese. Cotija cheese is a white, crumbly Mexican cheese with a salty flavor.
Fritos. The crunchy Fritos just might be the best part of this whole recipe.
Fresh cilantro or parsley. Cilantro is a natural pairing with Mexican cuisine, but if you're like me and can't do cilantro, use parsley.
Substitutions
- Instead of sour cream, use Mexican crema or Greek yogurt.
- If you can't find cotija cheese, queso fresco, feta cheese, or Parmesan cheese are all great substitutes.
- No green onions in the fridge? Try one of these substitutes for scallions. Red onion is a great one.
- Try crushed-up tortilla chips or Flamin' Hot Cheetos instead of Fritos!
Variations
- Stir black beans, diced red pepper, jalapeño pepper, or radishes into the creamy corn salad
- For even more flavor, add a little cayenne, hot sauce, or tajin seasoning!
- Instead of serving this elote recipe in individual cups, spoon it into little scoops corn chips and serve with salsa fresca
How to Make Elote with Canned Corn
Step 1: Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of cotija, chili powder, garlic powder, lime juice, green onions, and parsley (or cilantro) in a small bowl.
Step 2: Add the corn and stir the mixture together.
Step 3: Spoon the corn mixture into 4 individual cups. If you’re serving them right away, layer them with Fritos in the middle, like a parfait. If you're making for later, add the Fritos on top right before serving.
Step 4: Top with the remaining cheese, parsley, green onion, a sprinkle of chili powder, and lime wedges from the other ½ of the lime.
Serve corn cups with a full Mexican-inspired meal with Cucumber Pico de Gallo, Green Chicken Enchiladas, and Elote Fries.
Expert Tips
- Can’t find cotija cheese? Use feta or Parmesan cheese instead.
- If making elote in a cup ahead of time, add the Fritos on top right before serving or they'll get soggy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, corn in a cup is a great make ahead recipe! Assemble the Mexican street corn salad and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Right before serving, spoon the corn mixture into cups with the Fritos and the rest of the toppings.
Elote is Mexican street corn served on the cob, while esquites is Mexican street corn that is served in a cup.
You can make elote in a cup with fresh corn -- raw, boiled, or grilled, frozen and thawed corn, or canned corn that's well-drained. If you prefer to boil, sautee, or broil the frozen corn first, you certainly can.
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📖 Recipe
Elote in a Cup (Frozen or Canned Corn)
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn, frozen (thawed), or 2 cans of corn (well-drained)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 tablespoons cotija cheese, or feta -- divided, save some for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lime, divided ½ juiced, ½ cut into wedges
- 3 green onions, sliced -- divided, save some for garnish
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley -- divided, save some for garnish or cilantro
- 1-2 cups Frito chips amount varies if using in layers or only as a topping
Instructions
- Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of cotija, chili powder, garlic powder, juice from ½ of a lime, 2 sliced green onions, and 2 tablespoons parsley (or cilantro) together in a small bowl. Add corn and stir to combine.
- Spoon the corn mixture into 4 individual cups. Optional, add a layer of Fritos in the middle, like a parfait, if serving right away. Otherwise, add Fritos on top right before serving.
- Top the cups with the remaining cheese, parsley, green onion, a sprinkle of chili powder, and fresh lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
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