We know you’re going to love our air fryer Mexican street corn recipe. What is Mexican street corn or air fryer elotes? It’s a popular Mexican street food that is loved by so many and now we have an air fried corn on the cob version, Elotes style. Elotes on a plate with cheesy spread on top Mexican Street Corn on plate

Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn

This cheesy and delicious corn might be a little messy but the combination of the Mexican crema and Mexican cotija cheese is fantastic. It’s the perfect finger food. There’s so much to love about mexican street corn because the crispy air fried corn flavors and the creamy cheesy spread makes every single bite amazing. It’s addicting because it’s not just one ear of corn you might eat.

Air fryer basket with grilled Mexican corn on cob in basket and plate of elotes

Watch the Video Making Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

How to Air Fry Elotes Mexican Street Corn

  • Choose fresh ears of yellow or white corn. Frozen corn could work but it comes out chewy and sometimes mushy. so fresh corn is always best.
  • If your air fryer is small, you might have to break the corn in half. Cooking times will vary depending on your air fryer model.
  • Air fry your corn to your preferred texture. We like our corn to have an extra crispy texture like it would be if it were grilled.
  • All recipe details are in the recipe box belo.

Best Toppings for This Corn on the Cob

These are the perfect appetizer or meal. Seriously, the creamy Elotes cheese mix is addicting. There’s different variations you can use to make the creamy cheese topping for the Elotes. Kewpie mayo is sometimes used by home cooks. Some recipes like to use all mayo and hot sauce. That’s simple. Our version has flavorful spices and a touch of sour cream. All recipe details are in the recipe box below.

Elotes on a plate with cheesy spread on top Mexican Street Corn from BestRecipeBox.com

Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 16 mins
Total Time: 31 mins
If you don't have Mexican crema you can use sour cream and if you can't find Mexican Cotija cheese, you can use a some feta or even parmesan cheese.
5 from 5 votes
PRINT RECIPE Review Save to Pinterest

Ingredients

For Air Frying the Corn

  • 4 ears corn , husked
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 g) butter , melted (approximately)
  • Kosher salt , to taste on air fried corn
  • black pepper , to taste on air fried corn

For Cheese Mixture

  • 1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream or Mexican crema
  • 1/4 cup (56 g) mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup (75 g) finely crumbled cotija (or parmesan cheese or feta cheese) plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) chili powder , plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup (4 g) finely chopped cilantro leaves , and extra for garnish (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) kosher salt , or to taste
  • fresh cracked black pepper , to taste
  • 2 stalks green onions , sliced thin
  • 1 lime , cut into wedges

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Cut end of corn to fit air fryer basket. If needed for smaller air fryer, cut the corn in half. Coat all sides of the corn with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper around the whole corn.
  • Air Fry at 370°F/190°C for 12-16 minutes, flipping half way. Cook until kernels are tender and lightly browned. (Cooking time will depend on size of corn, how full air fryer basket is, & different models/sizes of air fryers)
  • In a bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Transfer corn to a platter and spoon cheese mixture over the corn. Sprinkle with extra cheese, paprika or chili powder, green onions and/or chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 517mg, Potassium: 417mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1103IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish, Snack, Vegetables
Cuisine: Air Fryer, Mexican, Vegetarian
Calories: 391

Here’s the recipe to our Elotes grilled version.

Plate of grilled vegetarian corn recipe with limes and sheet pan

Hope you enjoy our air fryer recipe! Here’s some more corn ideas for Summer like this summer corn dip recipe and , a grilled Elotes, 

You’ll Love these Corn Recipes