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Mexican Street Corn Cups

Mexican street corn cups with charred, golden corn and a creamy cotija cheese mixture. Crispy edges and a squeeze of fresh lime make this street-food style side taste bright and savory.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn cups
  • 4 ears corn Husked; kernels cut from the cob.
  • 4 tbsp butter Melted.
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Crumbled.
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro Chopped.
  • 2 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 lime lime Juice for squeezing.
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Cut the corn kernels from the husked cobs with a sharp knife, keeping kernels loose and ready to cook.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add the melted butter and allow it to shimmer.
  3. Add the corn kernels to the skillet and stir occasionally, cooking 12-15 minutes until kernels char in spots and turn golden.
Mix the cotija cheese topping
  1. In a bowl, combine cotija cheese, mayonnaise, cilantro, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed and creamy.
Assemble and serve
  1. Divide the charred corn among four small bowls or corn husks, filling each evenly with warm corn.
  2. Top each portion with the cotija cheese mixture and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.
  3. Serve warm right away for the best contrast between crisp charred edges and creamy filling.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t crowd the skillet—cook the corn in a single layer so the edges can char. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days and rewarm in a hot skillet for 3-5 minutes; freezing isn’t recommended because the topping can turn grainy. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt while keeping the rest the same.