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Mexican Street Corn Cups

Mexican street corn cups with crispy golden charred edges and a creamy cotija cheese mixture. Pan-seared corn is piled into cups and finished with cilantro, garlic, and a fresh lime squeeze.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn
  • 4 ears corn, husked
butter
  • 4 tbsp butter, melted
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
garlic
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
lime
  • 1 lime
chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Cut the corn kernels from the cob using a sharp knife, then set the kernels aside for cooking.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet or large pan over medium-high heat, then add the melted butter and let it melt and shimmer.
  3. Add the corn kernels and stir occasionally until kernels char and turn golden, about 12-15 minutes.
Mix the cotija filling
  1. In a bowl, combine cotija cheese, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
  2. Squeeze the lime juice to finish at the end, keeping it ready to drizzle over the cups.
Assemble and serve
  1. Divide the charred corn among four small bowls or corn husks so the cups are evenly filled.
  2. Top each serving with the cotija cheese mixture and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, then serve warm.

Notes

For the crispiest char, spread corn in an even layer in the hot skillet and avoid stirring too frequently so the edges can brown. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 2 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Freezing isn’t recommended due to texture changes in the mayonnaise-cotija mixture. If you want a dairy-light option, swap cotija for a reduced-fat crumbly cheese and use a reduced-fat mayonnaise.