Elote Dip with Chips (Printable)

Creamy Mexican dip with charred corn, cotija cheese, and lime, perfect alongside crispy tortilla chips.

# What You'll Need:

→ Elote Dip

01 - 4 cups corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned, well drained
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
04 - 1/4 cup sour cream
05 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced, seeds removed for reduced heat
10 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled, plus additional for garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, plus additional for garnish
12 - 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
13 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ For Serving

15 - Tortilla chips for dipping
16 - Lime wedges

# Steps:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and corn kernels. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until corn is slightly charred and golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, jalapeño, cotija cheese, cilantro, red onion, lime zest, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
03 - Add the charred corn to the bowl and stir until all components are evenly incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
04 - Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Top with additional cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a light sprinkle of chili powder.
05 - Serve warm or at room temperature alongside tortilla chips and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can throw it together while people are still arriving at your party.
  • The cotija cheese gives it this salty, crumbly texture that keeps things interesting instead of just being another creamy blob.
  • It tastes fancy enough to impress, but the ingredient list reads like you raided a normal pantry, not a specialty store.
02 -
  • Do not skip the charring step with the corn—it takes five minutes and transforms the whole dip from good to the kind people remember.
  • Drain frozen or canned corn completely, or you'll end up with a watery dip that slides off chips instead of clinging to them.
03 -
  • Grill fresh corn on the cob before cutting the kernels off if you want to take the charring to another level—it sounds fancy but it's just three minutes on a hot grill and then slice away.
  • Keep the lime wedges on the side and let people squeeze their own extra lime over the top because everyone has different preferences about how tangy they like things, and it makes people feel like they're customizing their own experience.
Go Back