Elote en Vaso (Elote in a Cup)

Easy and delicious Elote en Vaso, or Mexican corn in a cup, contains layers of corn with cotija cheese, hot sauce, and Mexican crema. It's a gourmet twist on a Mexican street corn recipe. This is going to be your new favorite addition to Taco Tuesday, I'm telling you. You will love this.

If you are a fan of corn on the cob, frozen corn, or any kind of creamed corn you will love Elote in a cup.

It's perfect for quick weeknights or a fun Mexican-themed party. You can also try this Baja Corn Sauce for another version of Mexican corn.

If you love corn and want to try some new recipes with it, check out this recipe for summer corn salad or saltwater corn on the cob.

What is Elote en Vaso?

Elotes is a favorite traditional corn on the cob traditionally served in Mexico as a popular street food. Mexican street corn is prepared with a slathering of mayo, lime, cotija cheese, and spices over the top of the corn on the cob.

It's also called esquites, with the creamy spices flavor of corn, lime, cheese, and spices found in elote and puts it in a cup.

Elote en vaso translated from Spanish to English is corn in a cup and it's super delicious!

Why You Will Love Mexican Corn in a Cup

• A delightful blend of flavors and textures. This dish has it all! Lots of bright lime flavors, tangy cheese, crunchy corn, and creamy goodness!
• Easy to make and perfect for serving at parties. Your guests can easily eat it right from their hands.
• Works great with other Mexican favorites including tacos, enchiladas, burritos and more!

Ingredients

Here's a look at the main ingredients you need to gather together to make elotes in a cup.

• Corn on the cob: For the best flavor, fresh corn on the cob is preferred but you can use frozen corn too especially when fresh isn't in season.
• Crema Mexicana: A creamy, slightly tangy condiment that's very similar to sour cream but it's thinner and not as tangy. It's usually found in the cold section with uncooked tortillas and Mexican cheese.
• Cotija cheese: A Mexican cheese that's crumbly and salty in flavor. It can look a lot like feta cheese but is way less salty. It's also in grocery stores near the crema. To learn more about Cotija, check out this post by In Mama Maggie's Kitchen about Cotija and some easy substitutes.
• Parmesan cheese: Added for more cheesiness.
• Lime juice: I like to use fresh limes! You can also pre-juice the limes so you have about one-half cup of lime juice.
• Tapatio hot sauce: Look in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store for this hot sauce.
• Smoked paprika: For a bit of smoky flavors but if you don't have it you can swap for regular paprika.
• Tajin: This is a Mexican seasoning that's a mixture of chili powders and lime. It's tangy, slightly spicy, and amazing!

How to Make Elote en Vaso

You're not going to believe how easy it is to make this recipe! Here's a look at the main steps in the recipe but be sure to check the details in the recipe card below.

We're going to start with cooking your fresh corn on the cob. You can do this on the grill which adds another layer of flavor or boil it in a pot on the stove.

1. Grill method: If you're using this method, pull all the husks back on each cob of corn except 1-2 thin layers and remove the end husks. Grill corn the corn for about 20 minutes. In the last minute or two of cooking, remove the last layer of husks to allow the corn to char a bit. 

2. Boil method: Bring water to boil in a large pot. Shuck your corn and rinse off the strings. Place the corn in the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.

PRO TIP: Make sure the pan is large enough for the water to submerge the corn. Even though the corn will float, if there is plenty of space in the water it will move around the boiling water and cook itself. You can stir occasionally too.

3. Trim the corn off the cob. Here's my trick to help you get that corn off the cob quickly and with the least mess. Place your corn on an upside-down bowl inside a bigger bowl and cut it downward. It will catch all your corn!

4. Toss the hot corn in melted butter. As you toss the corn in the butter break up the bigger chunks.

5. Add both cheeses and spices to a bowl.
6. Mix them together. I prefer to mix my cheese, chili powder, and spices together in a bowl so the flavor is distributed throughout the cup!

7. Layer the ingredients into glasses. Are you not so excited about this cheesy goodness!!

PRO TIP: Use a 6-8 ounce glass if making for a side dish or if you're making this for an appetizer you can use smaller cups. We will be making two layers, but if you want more you can use a taller glass rather than wider glass!

• Add corn to the bottom of the glass.
• Add your cheese mix right on top of the hot corn.
• Drizzle a little Mexican Crema.
• Add a squeeze of lime juice.
• Last a few drops of hot sauce.

8. Repeat the layers and then add your garnishes. Add some chopped cilantro and lime garnishes right on top.

The beauty of this dish is that you can serve it as a side dish or an appetizer. It's great for a party since your guests can easily eat it while standing. You can also serve it up warm or at room temperature.

Serve it up with other appetizers and party foods such as queso blanco, layered taco dip, bacon jalapeno poppers, and pico de gallo.

You can also use it with meals such as smoked al pastor tacos, Mexican rice, green chili chicken enchiladas, and turkey chile rellenos.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Using frozen corn? You will want to steam the corn before assembling the dish. Depending on if you are serving this hot or room temp you might need to let it slightly cool. Plan on about six cups of corn for your recipe.

Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor. If the corn is nice and hot when you place it in the cups it will be perfect to serve immediately. The cheese will start to melt and mix with the crema. Creating the best texture and flavor!

If you make it ahead, allow it to sit at room temperature for a bit before serving, or heat up the corn a bit before serving.

More Corn Recipes

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