Name: Grilled Mexican Street Corn
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 cup cotija cheese; fresh chopped cilantro, to taste; fresh lime juice, to taste; 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced

Fresh off the grill Mexican Street Corn is the absolute best. We’ve got a super simple Grilled Mexican Street Corn recipe that will make your tastebuds dance and your tummy asking for seconds!

Similar to our Grilled Mediterranean Street Corn, this yummy grilled corn on the cob recipe calls for real ingredients and tons of toppings. Don’t stop here with the corn recipes. Check out our Mexican Street Corn Salad, Black Bean Corn Salad, Olive Oil Parmesan Grilled Corn, and Thai Chili Summer Corn Salad.

Shuck and Clean Corn

First things first, let’s talk corn! Living in Minnesota, corn is one of our major crops during the summertime. Knee high by the Fourth of July is what they say! This is great for me as corn on the cob is one of my all-time favorite summer vegetable sides.

We typically almost always buy our corn in its husk because it’s cheaper and easy to remove yourself. To remove the husk, or to shuck it, all you have to do is peel back the green husks and remove all of the little hairs from the cob. Then, cut off the extra tip of your cob and toss that along with the husks into the garbage or compost.

Next, run your corn on the cob under warm water to remove any lingering dirt or particles. Now, you’re ready to go if you want to boil, grill, or steam your corn! And, if you want to make Mexican street corn on the cob, you’re in the right place to learn how!

Spice it Up

The spices are where the magic happens when it comes to Mexican Street Corn. In this recipe, we used all of our favorite Mexican-inspired spices to flavor those bad boys before you throw them on the grill. Check it out:

chili powder
smoked paprika
garlic powder
salt

As always, feel free to add more or less spices to your corn depending on your preference. We recommend using a gallon-size bag to cover your corn in spices because we find that it’s super simple to do so! First, massage olive oil into each cob and then place in a large plastic bag. Sprinkle on the spices and then give the cobs a good shake.

Finally, wrap your corn in tin foil to create a foil pack, the vessel you’ll use on the grill!

How long to grill corn on the grill

Preheat your grill to 400ºF. Place the foil pack on direct flames and grill for around 20-25 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.

You can easily grill other things at the same time, so we recommend making your main meal alongside your Mexican Street Corn recipe so that everything finishes around the same time.

Can you Cook Mexican Street Corn in the Oven?

Great question! Yes, of course, you can! Essentially you make the Mexican Street Corn on the Cob the exact same way, but instead of placing on your grill, you can place directly on your oven racks. Instead of flipping every 5 minutes, flip the corn halfway through instead!

Mexican Street Corn Toppings

Finally, it’s time to add all of those delicious toppings to bring your Mexican Street Corn to life! Now, girl to girl, sister to sister, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE TOPPINGS!

The toppings are what make this recipe above and beyond your wildest corn on the cob dreams. Here’s what we recommend:

cotija cheese crumbles
fresh cilantro
lime juice
red onion

If you’ve never had cotija cheese, this is a classic Mexican cheese that is oh-so-delicious on Mexican Street Corn. You can find it at most grocery stores, you just need to search a little bit!

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