# Esquites

Esquites, also known as elote en vaso and Mexican street corn salad, are a popular Mexican street food made with corn, mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese, chili powder, and other delicious ingredients.

- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 15 min
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Category: Drink
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob (about 4 medium ears of corn)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
- 0.25 cup mayonnaise
- 0.25 cup crumbled cotija cheese, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- Chili powder, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika, optional
- 1 teaspoon chili lime seasoning, optional
- Lime wedges, for garnish

## Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the butter, fresh corn kernels, garlic, and jalapeño.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
5. Add the mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cilantro, salt, and lime juice.
6. Add the chili powder and optional ingredients if using.
7. Mix until fully combined.
8. Taste and season with more salt and mayonnaise if desired.
9. Garnish with chili powder to your liking, a lime wedge, and a sprinkle cotija cheese.
10. Serve immediately in individual portions.

## Equipment

- large skillet
- medium mixing bowl

## Tips

- The amount of chili powder you use is entirely up to you. If you want it extra spicy, I recommend using ground cayenne.
- To give the esquites a delicious smoky flavor, grill the corn on the cob first. Then, slice the kernels off and add all the mix-ins.
- If you don’t like cilantro, you can omit it completely, and it will still be delicious!
- To make your esquites spicy, leave the seeds in the jalapeño. For even more heat, you could also use serrano peppers instead.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.isabeleats.com/esquites/#wprm-recipe-container-19170
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/d01fd17e-19e2-464a-a19b-400d59e7f955
- Extracted: 2025-05-05

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt