Description
This smoky twist on classic Mexican corn on the cob uses a vibrant, creamy sauce made from roasted red peppers and chipotle, skipping the traditional mayo-based coating for a lighter, flavor-forward side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ears corn, shucked
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 cup (200g) roasted red peppers, drained
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 0.25 cup (60ml) neutral oil, for sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar or granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 0.5 cup (80g) cotija cheese, crumbled
- 0.25 cup (15g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Grill the Corn: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450F). Brush shucked corn ears with neutral oil. Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until kernels are tender and charred. (Alternatively, boil or steam corn until tender.)
- Prepare the Sauce: While corn cooks, combine drained roasted red peppers, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, neutral oil (0.25 cup), smoked paprika, ground cumin, agave nectar, and salt in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Apply Sauce to Corn: Immediately brush each warm ear of corn generously with the prepared sauce, ensuring an even layer covers all sides.
- Garnish and Serve: Roll each coated corn cob in crumbled cotija cheese. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.
Notes
The sauce can be made ahead of time for easy preparation. If fresh corn is unavailable, use thawed frozen corn. Feta cheese can be used as a substitute for cotija cheese, and parsley can replace cilantro for those who prefer it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ear of corn
- Calories: 250 calories
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
Keywords: smoky, mexican, corn, elote, grilling, side dish, roasted red pepper, chipotle, creamy sauce, summer