MEXICAN STREET CORN — Grilled corn is tossed with mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and spices in this delicious Tex-Mex side dish (Torchy’s Tacos copycat).
A Torchy’s Tacos recently opened up where I live, and I think my favorite thing on their entire menu is the Mexican Street Corn. So of course I had to try and recreate it at home!
If you’ve never had street corn, believe me, you’re missing out!
Delicious, easy recipe! Making it for the second time this week for another dinner party – was a huge hit at my last party and perfect for Memorial Day. ~ Patty
Typically it’s served on the cob, usually on a stick. But it’s so much easier to eat when you serve it off the cob, so that’s what I do.
Basically, grilled corn is slathered in mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and spices, then finished off with some queso fresco and chopped cilantro.
Yes, I said mayonnaise. If you think that sounds odd, you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. I’m telling you, this stuff is amazing!
This side dish is especially great during the summer months, when corn on the cob is in season. But it’s the perfect accompaniment to any Tex-Mex dish, any time of year!
Honestly, I would eat this stuff as my main course! I love it that much!
You’ll need about six cobs of corn for this recipe, but if you have a few more, you should be fine.
I made this a few months ago for a potluck. They talked about for weeks afterward. Making again today! I subbed cotija cheese and add a little chopped onion for crunch. Thanks! ~ Kathy
Make sure to keep an eye on your corn while it’s on the grill. You want to use high heat, so you get a nice char, but it can burn quickly, so be careful!
Either an outdoor or indoor grill, or even a grill pan, will work fine. I’ve even put my corn under the broiler and charred it that way.
This corn dish would be perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and it’s always a hit at summer gatherings and back yard barbecues.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MEXICAN STREET CORN
This Mexican corn recipe is so good! I’m really glad I grilled in on the BBQ too – it added a smoky flavor to the kernels and was really pretty quick and easy. Will make this again!! ~ Noelle
Wonderful!!! I used frozen corn “roasted” it in an iron skillet until it was browned a little (I didn’t have any fresh)…it was delish and oh so easy! I can only imagine how good it would be with grilled fresh corn!!! Thank you for the recipe! ~ Miranda
Thank you for posting this recipe. I brought it to a pool party at the beginning of the summer. It has now become my “entrance ticket” to pool parties. Best side dish ever. ~ Carol
Be sure to save this Mexican Street Corn recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Choosing and Storing Fresh Corn
Check the husk: It should be bright green, a little bit damp, and wrapped tightly around the cob. Small brown holes in the husk mean insects and should be avoided.
Also check the bottom of the corn where the ear was broken off the stalk. If this area is brown, the corn is probably not the freshest choice. If you can help it, don’t peel back the husk. This dries out the corn and shortens its shelf life.
Check the tassle: The corn silk sticking out at the top of the cob is the tassle. When choosing corn, the tassel should be light brown or gold, and slightly sticky to the touch.
The tassle should smell sweet with no signs of decay. Avoid corn that has a dry, black, or mushy tassle.
Storing: You can keep your corn on the counter if you’ll be using it that day. Otherwise, refrigerate the corn in the crisper with the husks on, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Torchy’s Copycat Mexican Street Corn
- Produce: fresh corn, fresh cilantro
- Vegetable oil
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Lime juice
- Spices: chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
- Queso fresco
Mexican Street Corn (Torchy's Copycat)
Grilled corn is tossed with mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and spices in this delicious Tex-Mex side dish (Torchy's Tacos copycat).
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
- Vegetable oil
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat grill for high heat. Brush corn with vegetable oil. Grill corn, turning every 2-3 minutes, until slightly charred on all sides. Cool and cut corn kernels off cob.
- In a medium bowl, combine corn kernels, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder and cayenne. Garnish with queso fresco and chopped cilantro.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 173Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 346mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
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Who Dished It Up First: This recipe was inspired by Torchy’s Tacos.
Cory
Have to try this recipe! Street corn is one of my favorite sides.
Suggestion for you – have you ever tried making it into a flatbread? My husband and I have made a recipe before where you roast corn (cut off the cob) and red onion on a baking sheet in the oven, then put it in a saucepan with some chipotle chili powder, lime, Chihuahua cheese, heavy cream until it thickens – put it on naan bread and roast it in the oven… makes an INCREDIBLE flatbread pizza (with a little bit of lime sour cream drizzle).
Melissa
What is Chihuahua cheese? I have never heard of it. I want to try the flatbread pizza it sounds so good and I absolutely LOVE Naan bread!!
joe
It’s made from Chihuahua milk.
Alani
What????
Sarah Best
My thoughts exactly
Andy
Mmmmm, chihuahua milk…
Becky
This sounds absolutely delish. I am definitely going to try it
Ronnie Sullivan
The recipe doesn’t give the amount of mayo to use
Jill
Do you serve chilled?
Danelle
You could. I usually serve it warm or room temperature.
Phil
How do you warm it
Danelle
If it’s not warm enough for you after you’ve finished making it, you could just warm it in a skillet quickly, or in the microwave.
Crystal
Hi-
Can you omit the mayo and just replace with extra sour cream? Would it still taste right?
Thanks!
Danelle
I think it would be totally fine!
Laurie
I have substituted Greek yogurt for the Mayo and it’s super tasty
Chazzy
I like that idea for a lower cal option, would still have that bite
Lisa
i used only sour cream and it was excellent.
Veronica
I had street corn at Torhy;s in my town and it was disgusting! It tasted like vomit,but I don’t know about this particular recipe here.It could of been that the person making the corn didn’t know what they were doing.
PThomas
Rude much!! This person is trying to share, what they consider, to be a good recipe. If you don’t like “Tony’s Street Corn”, move on to the recipe and don’t leave nasty comments.
Dana
Theyre not bring rude. Theyre commenting on their experience with street corn. They said it could have been the person who made that batch. Read the whole comment before you attack
Jen
nah, they’re being rude. Veronica could’ve just said that their experience with Torchy’s street corn wasn’t great. Full stop. Adding in words like “vomit” are unnecessary, especially when this is a Torchy’s Street Corn COPYCAT recipe. Let’s keep it together and to ourselves, folks.
Rosalind
I agree. Leave the negativity out. I, myself was even insulted.
David
Calm down karen
Ronald
Vomit , jizz, throw up, puke, bile, excrement, or good old fashioned crap. Grow up and stop being so offended at every word someone says. Makes you out to be a controlling nitpicky narcissist. Get over yourself.
Deborah
Also she said “could of” instead of could have. Someone could easily insult her for that ignorance. Using the word “vomit” shows she must be young and rude.
Rosalind
I agree. Leave the negati
Deborah
I’m noticing this thread is much like the toxic Reddit. Too bad when all people are trying to do to share recipes. I agree there was no need for the description of what it tasted like and also she did say that batch. Then there are people talking about personalities and labeling total strangers. If people don’t stick to recipes on here they should just go to Reddit. That place loves toxicity. I just joined today to hear about recipes. That’s all.
C
Hey – just coming across your dirty comment. I hope they did vomit in your food but if not, maybe you should just avoid street corn, you c$&*.
Frank
Wow – that last word seems extremely angry, degrading, and misogynistic.
John
You forgot funny.
Patty Collette
Thanks to this recipe, having Torch’s Mexican Street corn no longer requires me to purchase an airline ticket to Austin! Delicious, easy recipe! Making it for the second time this week for another dinner party – was a huge hit at my last party and perfect for Memorial Day.
Danelle
Awesome! Thank you!
Stacy
Can you boil corn and then mix ingredients or do you have to grill
Danelle
It would change the flavor some, but yes, you could do that.
Brenda
I make this without Grilling. I just brown whole kernel fresh (or even frozen) corn in a big cast iron (or any) frying pan with a little avocado oil. The taste comes out close enough to the original recipe & it’s so much easier & less messy.
Katelynn
I boiled my corn then cooked on a somewhat high heat to give it a little char. I am not allowed to grill here so I made a small change. This recipe was amazing! I did however add a little extra cheese and added chile lime seasoning. Will be making this again!
Danelle
So glad it worked out for you with that slight change. Good to know! Thank you!
Lauren
What brand of mayo do you suggest and do you suggest American sour cream or mexican sour cream?
Danelle
You can use whatever your personal preference is in both cases. It’s totally up to you!
Nash
How would you store leftovers? Can they be refrigerated and then warmed up the next day?
Anne
Can this be a make ahead recipe or do you recommend cook just before serving?
Danelle
I haven’t tried that, but I think you could make ahead and reheat.
Anna | Photo Thrive
Very easy and delicious!!! Just made it!
Bill Schiff
Very good! I used Oaxaca Queso Natural cheese because that was the only one that sounded close at my town’s Minnesota supermarket, “Cub Foods”.
I fried up frozen corn kernels till they were a little chewy, then just mixed in everything, heavy on the lime juice, and didn’t add cilantro. My wife gave it 2 thumbs up.
Danelle
Thank you!!!
Debbie
Can you sub in fire roasted frozen corn for fresh? If so how much?
Carolyn Lee
I use the Fire Roasted canned corn and heat in on the stove in a frying pan; it works out to be amazing! I don’t see why the frozen would not be just as good if cooked first. I used 3 cans for the above recipe.
Jenifer Curtis
Easy and delicious. I used frozen corn in a cast iron skillet and worked out great! A perfect side for our fish tacos. Thank you!
Wilma
Hello! I just found this recipe, had ingredients minus a grill. LOL! I charred the corn on my stove top. It all came out delicious!! I had lime mayo and that was really yum to ad. Thank you !! I have a Torchys next door but we haven’t been yet. The horror!! I have to get to Torchy!
Pat sam
Can I use can corn
Chris
I literally just finished eating this and used a can of Del Monte Fire Toasted Corn. It was great! Just remember to rinse it well first. If you want it a little warm, throwing the corn in a skillet for a couple of minutes will do the trick.
Christine
We don’t have Torchy’s in Canada, but I just made this for a Mexican-themed dinner we’re going to tonight. I had crema which I used instead of sour cream & mayo. Great recipe – will definitely make again!
Romney
Great recipe! Thank you!
Miranda
Wonderful!!! I used frozen corn “roasted” it in an iron skillet until it was browned a little (I didn’t have any fresh)…it was delish and oh so easy! I can only imagine how good it would be with grilled fresh corn!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Kym
I’ve never heard of Torchy’s but I’m a big fan of this recipe! If I ever see one, I will have to stop in and compare.
I kept my corn on the cob (just wrapped it in foil with a pat of butter, cooked in the oven for 30 minutes @ 400 degrees). I lathered on the sauce after it was cooked and sprinkled/spread goat cheese on it.
Fabulous! Thanks for the recipe!
Shontell
How important is the sour cream? Would omitting it make a difference in the taste?
Danelle
You could use plain yogurt, or more mayo.
Bong Milk
Amazon associate? Pig.
Craig
I saw another post that mentioned Cotija cheese. Is that preferred?
Danelle
They are very similar. Queso fresco is a little more mild, so it’s really a personal preference. You can even use feta if you can’t find either at the store.
Dana
I myself use cojita cheese for my elote. The person who said it tasted like vomit probably had a batch that had too much cojita in it. It is a strong cheese.
” I had street corn at Torhy;s in my town and it was disgusting! It tasted like vomit,but I don’t know about this particular recipe here.It could of been that the person making the corn didn’t know what they were doing”
Courtney
Hi! Would this keep well in the fridge overnight? And can I double it?
Danelle
Yes to both!
Cindy
I need to serve this as a side for 28 people. Do you think I reallly need to 4x the recipe?
Danelle
Personally, I would 4x it. That would be the equivalent of less than one ear of corn per person.
Noelle
This Mexican corn recipe is so good! I’m really glad I grilled in on the BBQ too – it added a smoky flavor to the kernels and was really pretty quick and easy. I added a little Tajin chili-lime seasoning to the recipe in addition to the other ingredients. So yummy. Reminded me of the corn I recently had at Trejo’s Tacos in LA. Will make this again!!
Jacki
Absolutely delicious! I roasted my corn under the broiler. I loved it cold! It lasted well in the fridge for 3 days. I didn’t put the cheese and extra lime on it until I was ready to eat it. Thanks!
Carol Boehler
Thank you for posting this recipe. I brought it to a pool party at the beginning of the summer. It has now become my “entrance ticket” to pool parties. Best side dish ever.
Mary Anderson
Did you serve it cold?
Kathy
I made this a few months ago for a potluck. They talked about for weeks afterward. Making again today! I sub cotija cheese and add a little chopped onion for crunch. Thanks!
Jacob
This website is really hard to read because of the incredibly high amount of ads and weird layout. It would have been nice to see the recipe quicker. i’m not against using ads…just fix the layout please.
Mike hunt
Seriously? That’s how you get these free recipes by having ads up there so the site can have revenue. Man, people will bitch about anything and always find something to complain about.
Maureen
I feel really dumb? What is the cook temperature? I do not see it in the recipe. And when it says “garnish” with cheese and cilantro…is that AFTER it comes out of the oven? Or before?
Thank you!
Jenni
Making this tonight to go with my leftover brisket tacos! The store didn’t have fresh corn, so I’m adapting with frozen. Thanks for the recipe!!
Allen Sowinski
Too much work, starting with corn on the cob & grilling/roasting it. I’ve been making this wonderful dish using a 1 pound bag of frozen sweet corn & pouring it into a metal bowl when it’s thawed. Then I use either my propane or butane torch to lightly “char” the kernels. I char and toss, char and toss until most of the contents of the bowl show a little black on each kernel. It’s so much easier to use a torch and the corn doesn’t get mushy or dehydrated. After torching the kernels, I proceed adding every ingredient in this wonderful recipe. It’s a frequently used keeper in our house.
Sharol
Great advice. I was looking for some good direction with using frozen corn. This was the best. Thank you
Candace Vandeborne
I love Mexican Street Corn! Never heard of Torches, but my first taste was in Cozumel, Mexico on the street from a cart! They used cojita cheese an the seasoning was Tajin, like a chili powder but tangy and more flavorful. When I came home to Ohio, I found the Tajin but not the Cojita. I was told using parmesan would work as a substitute, and I have found it to be very good. A local eatery made a Mexican Street Corn pizza and it was excellent!
Betty Spinks
I substituted paprika for chili. Replaced the mayo with whipped cream. Changed out the corn for a baked potato. But instead of potatoes I call them pancakes. And as an alternative for the word street, I use alley. Et voila! Alley pancakes are delicioso!
Miki
Goes well with ribs, too. Like the street corn recipe very much.
Ann Hyzer
Looks great! Trying this today. One correction, though… the corn silk is the corn silk, NOT the tassel. The tassel is on top of the corn plant and produces pollen.
Julie
I am going to try this today for a small dinner party. If it turns out great, if not it’s on me…but it sounds wonderful & I have been told I’m a pretty good cook, so here goes! Btw I have had mexican street corn before at Swap Meets. Even the little tiny mexican children love it. They be gnawing on those cobs like crazy Thank you for the recipe
Brian
With all the ads, the recipe isn’t visible.
Adam
For the love of god. I would rather invent my own recipe than try to browse this bloated website to find where the ingredients are hidden. I’m sure you’re winning the numbers game on ad revenue, but I hope you feel bad about subjecting people to this garbage. I can’t even proofread all of my comment, because some idiotic widget is overlaying on top of it.
Felice
How much salt and pepper would you suggest using? I am always worried about using too much salt. We are actually using 4 ears of corn not 6 as well.
Joan Doelger
This is delicious. Thank you! Can I warm this entire mixture like a casserole before serving?
Danelle
I haven’t tried it but I imagine it would work just fine.
KAM
My husband and I are diabetics. Im sure we could eat this using lite mayo and lite sour cream along with avocado oil! Cant wait to try it!
Susan
Very tasty. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Dannene
I really find it helpful when making recipes to see the comments. All I see is star ratings. Very lame.
Dannene
after posting my comment now I see reviews. very bizarre
Jennifer
This sounds great. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the recipe. People can find anything to Bitch about. Some will always try to find a negative in a positive full off sunshine. For those fussing about the recipe being buried in advertisements…..there is a nice little button at the top of the recipe that reads “jump straight to recipe.” Wow what a novel idea. I’m sure y’all will attempt to find another negative though…..so I’ll wait.
Les
I’m making street corn for the first time. I bought 4 ears of corn, steamed them for 45 minutes in my steamer pot till soft, then added a little sugar and salt and chili lime seasoning, no cilantro, it tastes like soap. I HATE that spice. Walmart sells the cojita cheese all ready grated, but I had a solid piece that I chopped up and added it to the mix. Then, I added a couple of tablespoons of mayo and sour cream. I heated everything in a skillet and it came out delicious. You can make this recipe in advance and just microwave it when you are ready to eat it. I think i’m going to add some chopped red onion in it. That should taste great.
Michelle
for those whom the plant tastes like soap, the issue is genetic. These people have a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves. This genetic quirk is usually only found in a small percent of the population, though it varies geographically. Interestingly, places where cilantro is especially popular, such as Central America and India, have fewer people with these genes, which might explain how the herb was able to become such a mainstay in those regions. East Asians have the highest incidence of this variation, with some studies showing that nearly 20% of the population experiences soapy-tasting cilantro. There is some evidence that cilantrophobes can overcome their aversion with repeated exposure to the herb, especially if it is crushed rather than served whole, but many people simply choose to go with their genetic inclinations and avoid its soapiness altogether.
Pati
Wow, that is very interesting. I’ve had several people say they hate cilantro. Now i know why. Thanks for the information!
And I LOVE street corn. I lived in Mexico for a bit. The comment about Chihuahua cheese made me giggle. Chihuahua is a state in Mexico, where Juarez and the city of Chihuahua is located, not Chihuahua milk. Lol. I use cotija cheese because i like the strong flavor, and it’s similar to Parmesan (which we used to call stinky feet cheese) so I can see that some people would be put off. Anyway, I never use mayo, I actually use butter, cotija, lime and Valentina or Cholula sauce. Sometimes I use the taking powder instead because it already contains lime. But to each their own!
Mary Anderson
Did you serve it cold?
Danelle
I serve it warm or room temperature.
Claire
About how many cups would six ears be? We already have a lot of cooked, freshly cut corn and I’m not sure how much we cut. Thanks!
Danelle
4-5 cups
Rebecca
This is an easy versatile recipe. The idea is to create a Latin corn side dish that is creamy, tangy and spicy. Don’t get hung up on exact details – recipes like this are a basic road map not a final blueprint. I didn’t char my corn, used frozen cilantro, subbed it Parmesan for the mexican cheese and creole seasoning for the cayenne/chili powder. Still came out delish. Have fun with it
Susan Hedstrom
I got my husband back through the help of ( Lordzakuza7 @ gmail. com ).
Lisa
I love this recipe, but my guest is gluten free. I’ve googled each ingredient and it looks like I’ll need to be careful when buying spices. But otherwise, can you confirm this is gluten free? Thanks
Danelle
I honestly don’t do enough gluten free cooking or baking to confirm this 100%. I believe it is, as far as I know, although I’m not sure which brands of spices are gluten free. Your guest might actually have a better idea on the spices, and I’d just be sure to carefully check labels on all your ingredients.
Shayna
I made them and followed the recipe exit. I “grilled” my corn over the stove top. Came out great but Ii felt the sauce needed a little something extra and added tajin seasoning. Amazing! and soooo simple!
shayna
EXACTLY* not exit, sorry spelling error
Pam
Fresh Corn is not available in my area this time of year. Any suggestions on what to use- frozen, Canned etc? I know it’ll be a bit different than fresh but would love to try and appreciate any suggestions from those that have made it.
Mason
How much mayonnaise tho lol
Nicole
I used this as a base recipe to build on. I tossed my fresh corn, cut it off the stalk and set aside. The off cob, street corn I’ve had always has red/green pepper, so I chopped a 1/4 c of each and mixed with mayo, sour cream and spices (cumin, smoked paprika, taco seasoning and ground red pepper to taste). I sautéed that for a couple minutes to soften the red/green peppers, then added the corn. I let it simmer. Meanwhile, I whipped up a second batch of the wet ingredients & spices and added it to the pan. I topped with cotija cheese, cilantro & a light squeeze of lime. We truly e joyed it. Thank you.
Amy
I have been making this recipe for years and OMG it never disappoints! This is by far my favorite street corn, even over restaurant versions! Thank you for sharing!!!
Justin
Great recipe, nice and easy. Too many ads all over this website which makes navigating the information incredibly difficult and distracting.
Don Banks
I loved the sound of this and wanted to try it so badly, but after 10 minutes of trying to navigate through all the pop-ups and ads, I found this and thought I would tell someone. I know the ads make you money but it’s very aggravating and annoying to find important content covered up and slowing down your page. Sorry.
Jessica
I love this recipe! I don’t grill so I found a great alternative. I ended up using the frozen steamed bag(s) of Green Giant Seasoned Honey Roasted Sweet Corn.
Diane
In all incarnations of Mexican street corn salad I use canned fire roasted corn to simplify and speed things up. It’s always a hit.
Mike
Have you ever tried not having so many ads so we could actually see the recipe?
Ruth Tilson
Can I serve room temperature? I need to make for 8 people. How would I change the qualities in the recipe to have the correct ratio?