Mexican Street Corn Dip (Elote Street Corn Dip)
Mexican Street Corn Dip takes the flavour of elotes and puts it into a crowd-pleasing appetizer! It’s creamy, smoky, tangy, a little bit spicy, and loaded with sweet corn.
Ever since visiting Mexico, I have loved elotes—and when I went vegan, I even came up with a vegan Mexican Street Corn recipe to capture that flavour, minus the mayo and dairy! This Mexican street corn dip has similar vibes, but it amps up the creamy factor to turn the classic street snack into the most irresistible dip ever. Talk about a crowd-pleaser! This is the kind of snack that will disappear fast when you serve it at parties and game day get-togethers.
What Makes Elote Dip the Ultimate Vegan Party Snack
This isn’t a wimpy dip! It’s so loaded with good stuff that you could make a meal out of it. (Okay, I have made a meal out of it—no shame here!)
- Big, bold flavour. You get smoky charred corn, bright and tangy lime juice, loads of vegan cheese, and warm Mexican spices. Every scoop is the perfect bite!
- Ideal for parties. This dip serves a crowd and you can make it in advance. That’s a win!
- Ready in under 30 minutes, easy peasy. Because when you’re hosting a party, easy apps are the move!
Notes on Ingredients
There’s a lot of flexibility with the ingredients here, so don’t be afraid to customise this recipe to your tastes. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- Corn – Fresh, frozen, or canned all work, but when fresh is in season, definitely use that!
- Red onion and garlic – Mince these well so there aren’t any large pieces in the dip.
- Jalapeño – Remove the seeds; you can scrape out the ribs as well for a milder flavour.
- Seasonings – Smoked paprika ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Vegan cream cheese – Store-bought or homemade Vegan Cream Cheese.
- Vegan sour cream or yogurt – Again, store-bought is fine, or use my Vegan Sour Cream recipe.
- Vegan cheddar cheese
- Lime juice – Fresh lime juice has the best flavour.
- Vegan feta or cotija-style cheese – I love using my Vegan Feta Cheese!
- Cilantro
- Flaked chili & lime wedges – For garnish.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Dip
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this recipe:
- Char the corn. Sauté the corn in a skillet with the olive oil over medium-high until it’s lightly charred.
- Cook the aromatics. Add the red onion and jalapeño; cook until softened, then stir in garlic.
- Season. Stir in the paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Make it creamy. Lower the heat and stir in the vegan cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar. Keep stirring until it all melts together.
- Finish and serve. Stir in lime juice and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle on the vegan feta and cilantro, garnish with the chili flakes, and serve with tortilla chips and lime wedges.
Recipe Variations
Want to switch things up a bit? I’ve got some ideas to get you started!
- Add more heat. Swap the jalapeño for serrano pepper. Or drizzle the dip with a Mexican hot sauce like Cholula.
- Make it bacon-y. Crumble Crispy Vegan Bacon on top for extra smoky flavour.
- Make it a baked dip. For Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip vibes, make the dip in an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron), top with additional vegan cheddar cheese, and broil for 2–3 minutes until the dip is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions for Elote Dip
Tortilla chips might be your first option, but they are not your only option for using this Mexican street corn dip!
- In addition to tortilla chips, try Pita Chips, sliced baguette, or even Vegan Naan.
- Spoon it over baked potatoes.
- Use it as a topping for epic vegan nachos.
- Swap it for the cheese on your next Beet Burger.
- Stuff it into jalapeños for poppers.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover Mexican street corn dip in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: You can eat this dip straight out of the fridge or let it come to room temperature, but if you want to heat it, your best bet is the microwave.
More Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Dips
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan Mexican street corn dip, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Mexican Street Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 15mL
- 4 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed – 600g
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped – 100g
- 2 cloves garlic, minced – 6g
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (seeds removed) – 10g
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1.5g
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1.5g
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1.5g
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, 3g
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1g
- 1 cup vegan cream cheese, softened – 225g
- ¼ cup vegan sour cream or unsweetened vegan yogurt, 60g
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese, 50g
- Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons, 30mL
- ½ cup vegan feta or cotija-style cheese, crumbled – 60g
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped – 8g
- Garnish: flaked chili and lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly charred.
- To the remaining corn in the skillet, add the chopped red onion and jalapeño pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat everything evenly.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream (or yogurt), and shredded vegan cheddar cheese directly to the skillet. Stir for 2–3 minutes until melted, creamy, and fully combined.
- Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lime juice if needed.
- Top with crumbled vegan feta and chopped cilantro. Dust lightly with extra chili powder if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store leftover Mexican street corn dip in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: You can eat this dip straight out of the fridge or let it come to room temperature, but if you want to heat it, your best bet is the microwave.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
