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Why I Love This Street Corn Dip
Every summer, as the sweet corn stands start popping up around Iowa, I get excited to make this summertime staple recipe. There’s nothing quite like those first ears of the season, with their golden color and sweet flavor. Even if it’s not planted in the big swaths of fields around my house, I live in Iowa, known for its corn, so I naturally use sweet corn in any way I can!
This street corn dip is my go-to when I want to highlight just how good that sweet corn can be.
What I love most is that it can be served warm or cold, making it so versatile for parties or just a snack while sitting on the back patio. Based on the flavors of Mexican street corn (elote), this recipe has the brightness of lime, a bit of heat from some jalapeño, and the balance of taco seasoning, all into one skillet. It’s rich but not too heavy, which is perfect with crunchy tortilla chips and even better with friends and family.
What makes this recipe better than others: A lot of street corn dips will use sour cream and cream cheese, which can make the dip feel heavy and far from healthy. This version uses Greek yogurt, which makes the recipe a bit lighter.
HISTORY
Where Does Street Corn Dip Come From?
Mexican street corn dip gets its flavor from elote, Mexico’s iconic street food. Corn has been a staple of Mesoamerican culture for thousands of years, grown by many indigenous peoples. When the Spanish arrived, they brought cheese and cream, which blended with chili, lime, and other traditional flavors to create bold toppings.
Elote-inspired esquites, a cup version made with corn kernels tossed in the same flavorful mix of chili and lime. This, in turn, led to the modern dip—a creamy twist that’s become a favorite for potlucks and parties. It keeps all the sweet, tangy, cheesy, and spicy notes of street corn, but in a scoopable form perfect for gatherings.
Street Corn Dip Ingredients
Sweet corn is the star of the show, but other ingredients make this an amazing recipe:
- Butter – For sautéing the aromatics and adding richness.
- Onion, jalapeño, and garlic – The aromatics that make this dip flavorful with a hint of spice. Make sure to check your jalapeño for its heat level by tasting one of the seeds.
- Sweet corn – The star ingredient, full of summer sweetness. Fresh is great, but you can also use frozen sweet corn, too!
- Kosher salt – Always needed to enhance all the flavors.
- Taco seasoning – Adds some warm spice and complexity of flavor. I love to make my own taco seasoning at home.
- Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt – Create the rich, creamy base, with a bit of tanginess.
- Lime juice and zest – Brightens the entire dip.
- Fresh cilantro – For some freshness and a bit of herb flavor. If you’re averse to cilantro, you can swap it with fresh parsley for some of that green color.
- Cotija cheese – A salty, crumbly finish on top that’s a must for this dip.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Street Corn Dip
This recipe comes together in two steps:
Step 1: Cook the vegetables – Sauté onion and jalapeño in butter until softened. Add garlic and sweet corn to the pan. Season with salt and taco seasoning. Cook until the corn is bright yellow and fragrant. Then stir in cream cheese until melted.
Step 2: Assemble – Off the heat, mix in mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl, and top with Cotija cheese and extra cilantro.
Recipe Tips
- Pick your corn – Fresh, ripe corn is the type I’d recommend using, but frozen sweet corn will also work if making this out of season.
- Balance the heat level – Taste your jalapeño first. Some are much spicier than others, so you can adjust the spice level to be exactly what you want!
- Make ahead – This dip can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Follow These Tips
Serving
Serve warm straight from the skillet or chilled in a serving dish. Pair with tortilla chips, sturdy crackers (the dip is thick), or even serve alongside grilled meats as a flavorful side.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: If you want to eat it warm, gently warm in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often.
More Dip Recipes
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Mexican Street Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 ½ tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 6 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro (reserve 2 tbsp for garnish)
- ⅓ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Instructions
- Cook the corn: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and sauté until the onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic, sweet corn, taco seasoning, and salt. Sauté until the corn is bright yellow, 2-3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until it is fully melted into the dip, 2-3 minutes.2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 medium white onion, 1 jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels, 1 ½ tbsp taco seasoning, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 6 oz cream cheese
- Assemble: Remove from the heat and add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro (reserve 2 tbsp and set aside). Stir to incorporate and spread into a serving bowl. Top with crumbled Cotija and reserved cilantro. Can be served room temperature or chilled.¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tsp lime zest, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro (reserve 2 tbsp for garnish), ⅓ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
A 10 star recipe. Incredible flavor, easy to make and even easier to eat. It was a hit with my mash jong group.
I made this for a family gathering and I had lots of compliments…It is very good! And I used fresh sweet corn.