Mexican Street Corn Dressing
A creamy, tangy, whisked dressing that captures everything you love about elote: salty cotija, bright lime, smoky chili powder and a hint of garlic. Drizzle it over grilled corn, salads, tacos and roasted vegetables, or use it as a dip.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- About 1 cup (240 ml), 8 servings of 2 tablespoons each
Steps
Before you start
- Take the crema out of the fridge 10 minutes ahead so it whisks smoothly.
- Zest the lime before juicing it; a squeezed lime is very hard to zest.
- Cotija is salty, so don't add extra salt until you have tasted the finished dressing.
- Plan for a 30-minute rest so the garlic and chili flavors blend into the base.
Prep the aromatics
- Finely grate the zest from 1 large lime into a medium bowl, then cut the lime in half and squeeze 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of juice into a small cup, removing any seeds.
- Grate the garlic clove on a Microplane directly into the bowl so it becomes a smooth paste.
- Finely chop the cilantro.
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Ready when: Garlic looks like a wet paste with no visible chunks.
Tip: Chunks of raw garlic can taste harsh, so grate it finely.
Whisk the creamy base
- Add the mayonnaise and crema to the bowl with the lime zest and garlic.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds until completely smooth and uniform in color.
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Ready when: No white streaks of mayonnaise or crema remain and the base looks silky.
Tip: If the crema is very thick, stir it in its container first to loosen it.
Add spices and lime
- Whisk in the lime juice, chili powder, black pepper and the cayenne, if using.
- Whisk for 20 seconds until the spices are evenly distributed and the dressing is a uniform pale orange-pink.
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Ready when: No dry clumps of chili powder; color is even.
Tip: Add cayenne in small amounts; its heat builds as the dressing rests.
Fold in cotija
- Crumble the cotija very finely with your fingers or a fork, then stir it into the dressing with the chopped cilantro.
- Leave some tiny crumbles for texture; do not blend them completely smooth.
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Ready when: Cheese is evenly speckled throughout with only small crumbles.
Tip: Cotija is salty, so taste before adding any extra salt.
Thin and rest
- Whisk in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water.
- The dressing should fall from the whisk in a thick, pourable ribbon.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the cheese softens and the flavors blend.
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Ready when: Dressing coats the back of a spoon and slowly drips off.
Tip: The dressing thickens in the fridge, so keep it slightly looser than you want it at this stage.
Taste and adjust
- Stir the chilled dressing and taste it.
- Add more lime juice by the ½ teaspoon for brightness, a pinch of chili powder for warmth, or 1 teaspoon of water at a time if it is too thick.
- Serve over grilled corn, salads, tacos or roasted vegetables, topped with extra cotija and chili powder.
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Ready when: Tangy, salty, lightly spicy and pourable but clinging.
Tip: Taste it on a piece of corn or lettuce, not alone, since it is seasoned to be a topping.
Good to know
Tips
- Grate the garlic to a paste so it disperses evenly and doesn't taste sharp.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice; bottled juice tastes flat and bitter.
- Chill the dressing before judging the thickness, since it firms up in the fridge.
- For a smoky flavor closer to grilled elote, use smoked chili powder or add a pinch of smoked paprika.
Make ahead
Make up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in a covered jar. Stir well and thin with a little water before serving.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Not recommended for freezing, as the mayonnaise base separates. Stir or shake before using; serve cold.
Substitutions
- Mexican crema → sour cream thinned with 1 tablespoon milk. Slightly tangier and thicker; use ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream plus 1 tablespoon milk.
- cotija cheese → feta or grated Parmesan. Feta is moister and tangier; Parmesan is nuttier and saltier. Use the same weight.
- mayonnaise → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Lighter and tangier; the dressing will be less rich.
- chili powder → smoked paprika or Tajín. Smoked paprika gives a smokier, milder flavor; Tajín adds extra lime and salt, so taste before seasoning.