Baked elote dip beats cold versions every time. Warm spices bloom, the cheese melts properly, and the texture stays scoopable instead of stiff. This recipe is going to take your Cinco de Mayo party or Taco Tuesday to a whole new level!
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This Mexican street corn dip is a take on the classic Mexican elote recipe. This Tex-Mex dip is made from charred corn, cream cheese, mayo, and plenty of cheese. Plus a few spices, because you know I love to amp up the flavor. It's creamy, chunky, and full of flavor, plus, it only takes about 15 minutes of prep time.
Before developing this recipe, I surveyed my readers. I noted most elite dip recipes were cold or room temperature. But 79% of my readers said they preferred a baked version. After testing several variations, I agree!
Serve it with a fruity salsa and avocado pico for the perfect chips and dip trio.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- This recipe doesn't rely on store-bought elote seasoning or other specialty ingredients.
- You can prepare this recipe ahead of time and bake it just before serving to make your game day party prep simpler.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Corn - You can use thawed frozen corn, or freshly cooked corn cut off the cob. I generally don't recommend using canned corn but it does work in this recipe. If you use canned corn, be sure it is whole kernel corn and not creamed corn.
- Sour Cream- If you can find Mexican crema at your local grocer, I highly recommend using it instead. Crema is similar to sour cream, but it's thinner and a bit milder in flavor.
- Monterey Jack Cheese - I highly recommend buying a brick of cheese and shredding it yourself. You can also use sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese for an extra kick of heat.
- Cotija Cheese - Cotija is a Mexican crumbly cheese that is similar to feta. It's typically sold in the cheese section of your local deli. If you can't find cotija, you can use feta cheese.
- Cream Cheese - I recommend full-fat for this recipe because it melts a lot better than low-fat and has a fuller, richer flavor.
- Onion -Use a basic white or yellow onion. You can also use a red onion for a bit of color.
- Smoked Paprika - Smoked paprika provides a deep, rich, and smoky flavor. Regular paprika will provide the same beautiful red color and a hint of heat, but smoked paprika is next-level good in this recipe.
Feel free to add any garnishes you like, from fresh cilantro to sliced jalapeno peppers.
🍲How to Make Elote Dip
- Slowly allow the corn to cook until it begins to brown and appear 'charred.' Stir occasionally, but give the corn time to char on the bottom of the pan.
- The other option is to grill the corn cob and then cut off the charred kernels. Just brush the corn with oil and grill on medium-high heat.
- Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo with the spices before adding the corn to ensure everything is spreadout.
- Allow the grilled corn to cool before you try to cut off the kernels and add the to the dip.
- Pour the entire mixture into a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the dip is golden brown and bubbly. Let is cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make this elote dip in advance by assembling it but not baking. Store in the fridge covered with foil. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
To save time, you can also buy charred corn (sometimes called fire-roasted corn) and skip the step of charring the corn yourself. Just put the pre-charred corn in a sautee pan long enough to heat it up, then add the garlic and onion.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Baked Elote Dip
Ingredients
- 1 pound corn kernels (off the cob) see notes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup sour cream or use Mexican crema if you can find it
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded and divided
- Zest of one lime
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cotija cheese
- fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno peppers, green onions suggested garnishes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Cut the corn off the cob if needed. In a medium saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the corn and saute and char, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.1 pound corn kernels, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup onion, 2 cloves garlic
- While the corn is cooking mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, lime zest, all the spices and seasonings, and half the Monterrey jack cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn mixture to the mixing bowl and stir to combine.8 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup sour cream, ¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, Zest of one lime, ¾ teaspoon chili powder, ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Transfer the mixture to a greased oven-safe dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and sprinkle on the cotija cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly on top. Garnish as desired and serve with corn chips.½ cup cotija cheese, 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
Notes
- Use frozen charred corn, also called fire-roasted corn, (thaw first) and skip the charring process.
- You can skip the lime zest and spices and substitute 2 ½ teaspoons of tajin seasoning instead.
- For a spicy version of this recipe, I add one finely diced jalapeno pepper to the saute pan with the onion.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, or microwave gently and finish under the broiler with a little extra cheese.
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