Mexican Street Corn Dip Recipe

Creamy Mexican Street Corn Dip is loaded with toasted corn, Cotija cheese, fresh lime and hot sauce. An easy party appetizer served warm or cold.

Course Appetizer, Appetizers

Cuisine American, Mexican

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings Servings

Calories 227kcal

Author Diana Reis

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 ounces Cotija cheese crumbled, plus extra for topping
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons Mexican hot sauce optional or to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped, garnish
2 tablespoons green onion chopped, garnish

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is heated through and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Add the Cotija cheese and gently stir with a spoon until evenly distributed. Mixing by hand at this stage helps preserve some texture in the dip.
Add the browned corn, lime juice, and hot sauce. Stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Top with additional Cotija cheese, chopped green onions, cilantro, and extra hot sauce, if desired.
Serve immediately while warm, or cover and refrigerate until chilled before serving.

Notes

What to Serve with Mexican Street Corn Dip

Tortilla chips are an easy choice because their salty crunch works especially well with the creamy corn. You can also serve this dip with corn chips, crackers, toasted baguette slices, or fresh vegetables.

For parties, place the dip in a shallow serving bowl and add the Cotija, cilantro, green onions, and hot sauce just before serving. This keeps the toppings fresh and makes a simple dip look great on an appetizer table.

Can Mexican Street Corn Dip Be Made Ahead?

Yes. This is an easy dip to prepare ahead of time because it can be served either warm or cold.

Prepare the dip, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. For the freshest presentation, wait to add the extra Cotija, cilantro, green onions, and hot sauce until just before serving.

The dip will thicken slightly as it chills. Give it a good stir before serving to bring the creamy texture back together.

Using Fresh or Frozen Corn

Either works, which makes this a recipe you can prepare year-round.

Frozen corn does not need to be thawed first. Add it directly to the skillet and allow any excess moisture to cook away before letting the kernels brown.

When fresh corn is in season, cut the kernels directly from the cob and toast them in the same way. Fresh corn will give the dip an especially sweet flavor and crisp texture.

Diana's Tips for Success

Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before mixing. Cold cream cheese is much harder to blend smoothly with the mayonnaise and sour cream.

Use a hot skillet and don't overcrowd the corn. You want to toast the kernels rather than steam them.

Wait until the corn has browned before stirring it into the creamy base. Those toasted edges add extra flavor to an otherwise very simple dip.

Add the salt last. Cotija cheese and hot sauce can both be salty, so taste the finished mixture before deciding how much additional salt it needs.

Adjust the hot sauce to your preference. Two tablespoons gives the dip plenty of flavor, but you can use less for a milder appetizer or drizzle extra over the top for more heat.

Nutrition