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    You are here: Home / Snacks / Mexican Street Corn – Esquites

    Mexican Street Corn – Esquites

    Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

    Esquites (Corn in a Cup)

    Mexican Street Corn in a Cup Called Esquites

    When you buy Mexican street corn from a cart in the plaza you have two options for ordering, on the cob called elotes or in a cup called esquites. The cart will always be loaded with toppings for your corn; lime juice, mayonnaise, grated cheese, chili powder, butter, and hot sauce so that you can personalize your cup. In this recipe we’re making esquites, the street corn in a cup. Going to get corn in the plaza is one of our favorite things to do on a weekend evening. Now you can recreate the experience at home.

    How to Make

    Choosing the Corn

    If you want authentic flavor, you have to prepare this dish with white Mexican corn, elote blanco, not sweet corn. Mexican corn is much firmer, not sweet, and has an earthy, grain like taste. The first time I ate elote blanco I was confused. It tasted nothing like the soft sweet corn that I was used to eating. At first, I wasn’t sure that I cared for it but after a few more tries the taste grew on me. I’ll happily eat it every day now.

    Ingredients Mexican Street Corn in a Cup

    Ingredients:

    To Prepare the Corn

    • 4 ears Mexican white corn, elote blanco
    • 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 epazote leaves, (a pungent Mexican herb)

    Typical Toppings (All are optional. You mix and match to taste.)

    • Lime
    • Mayonnaise
    • Grated cheese, queso fresco
    • Chili powder
    • Melted butter
    • Hot sauce

    Preparation

    Start by removing the husks and silk from the corn. Cut off the top and base of the cob. This will make it easier to cut the kernels off the cob.

    Mexican White Corn on Wooden Cutting Board

    Remove the kernels from the cob. Hold one end of the cob with your hand and place the other end of the cob on the cutting board.  Hold the cob at a 45-degree angle. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off and be sure to always cut away from your hands and body.

    Knife Removing Corn Kernels from Cob

    Place the kernels in a pan.

    Corn Kernels in Frying Pan

    Add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth.

    Adding Chicken or Vegetable Broth to Corn Kernels in Pan

    Add 4 cups of water.

    Adding Water to Corn Kernels in Pan

    Add the epazote and salt. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to medium.

    White Corn with Epazote in Pan

    Cook until about ⅔ of the liquid has evaporated. If the corn is still too tough for you after the liquid has reduced add 1 cup water and cook until you get the desired texture. Repeat if needed. You want a little bit of liquid to remain. It goes in each cup when you serve.

    Cooked Corn Kernels with Epazote in Frying Pan

    Serving

    Serve your corn warm in a cup and then add the toppings of your choice. My perfect cup is like the one in the photo, just a squirt of lime juice, a pinch of salt, a dab of mayonnaise, a sprinkle of chili powder, and a good squirt of hot sauce.

    Esquites with Chile and Lime

    Shall we serve you a cup? Looks good, doesn’t it!

    Cup of Mexican Street Corn with Hot Sauce and Lime

    Provecho!

    Mexican Street Corn in a Cup Called Esquites
    Print Pin
    4.43 from 7 votes

    Mexican Street Corn (Esquites) Recipe

    Mexican street corn in a cup, "esquites" prepared with "elote blanco," Mexican white corn. Personalize with lime juice, mayonnaise, grated cheese, chili powder, butter, and hot sauce. Recreate the experience of going to the "elote" cart in the plaza on a relaxed weekend evening.
    Course Snack
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword corn, esquites, snack, street food
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 308kcal
    Author andrés carnalla

    Ingredients

    To Prepare the Corn

    • 4 ears Mexican white corn elote blanco
    • 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 epazote leaves
    • Typical Toppings All are optional. You mix and match to taste.
    • Lime juice
    • Mayonnaise
    • Grated cheese queso fresco
    • Chili powder
    • Melted butter
    • Hot sauce

    Instructions

    • Start by removing the husks and silk from the corn. Cut off the top and base of the cob.
    • Remove the kernels from the cob. Hold one end of the cob with your hand and place the other end of the cob on the cutting board. Hold the cob at a 45-degree angle. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off and be sure to always cut away from your hands and body.
    • Place the kernels in a pan. Add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth and 4 cups water. Add the epazote and salt.
    • Bring the water to a boil then reduce to medium. Cook until about ⅔ of the liquid has evaporated. If the corn is still too tough for you after the liquid has reduced add 1 cup water and cook until you get the desired texture. Repeat if needed.
    • Serve your corn warm in a cup and then add the toppings of your choice.

    Notes

    Storage
    The corn will keep 3 days in the refrigerator. Do not store prepared with all the toppings. Reheat in the microwave before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 536mg | Sugar: 5g
    More Mexican Snack Recipes
    • Chili Spiced Popcorn
    • Queso con Carne
    • Guacamole

    More Snacks

    • Homemade Tortilla Chips Totopos
      How to Make Tortilla Chips (Totopos)
    • Chili Spiced Popcorn
      Chili Spiced Popcorn

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amelia Martinez says

      September 18, 2019 at 6:11 am

      Thanks for the Tasty recipe! I love Mexican corn and my favorite restaurant is Senor Burrito Inc. Your info definitely helps me when making Mexican corn.

      Reply
    2. Eric Franks says

      October 01, 2019 at 2:54 pm

      Hey,

      Any idea how or where one could find the white maize corn, or elote blanco?

      Reply
    3. Jenny H. says

      November 01, 2019 at 3:13 pm

      4 stars
      Love the recipe for the street corn. Reminds me of the times I would visit Mexico and the vendors would be out on the street. But do you have recipe for the hot sauce that you add?

      Reply
      • H ramirez says

        June 28, 2020 at 2:20 am

        Thank you for having a recipe that is authentic. Most people make it with cilantro not epazote. episode is hard to find, but I will not make esquites without epazotes. Great recipe.

        Reply
    4. Brandon says

      September 30, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      I cannot for the life of me find mexican white corn. I live in AZ with a few mexican food grocers and they don’t even have it. It’s all sweet corn. Any idea how to find this stuff?

      Reply
      • Douglas Cullen says

        October 03, 2020 at 10:40 am

        You might be able to find it frozen. In South Texas, it’s sold in 10 pound bags for the food stands.That’s a lot of corn but it can be portioned into 1lb. bags so you have it ready to use when you want. Cheers!

        Reply

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    Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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