Name: Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 8-10 ears fresh Corn (or 2lbs frozen corn); 1/3 cup finely chopped Red Onion; 1 Red Pepper (washed, cored, and finely chopped); 1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeded and minced, or if you want it spicy keep the seeds in); 1 cup Mayonnaise; 1 tbsp lime zest (zest of one lime); 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend; 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika; 1/4 cup Butter (cold and sliced into thin pieces); 6 ounces Queso Fresco Cheese

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This Mexican street corn casserole recipe has all the flavors of traditional street corn and it is so easy! There are so many things that make this the perfect recipe for a gathering. I have deconstructed the traditional elote corn recipe and put into casserole form! All the same simple ingredients, and bold flavors but so much easier to eat.

Mexican corn bake in a yellow rectangle dish on a round rattan trivet with a rust colored rush on a gray counter top

Why I love this recipe

Our family loves the popular street food known as elote. Any time we are at a festival or happen upon a food truck that has it on the menu we always have to order it. The only problem is that elote is not the easiest food to eat even if you are at home, and in public it’s nearly impossible. Many years ago my oldest daughter, who had braces at the time, cut her elote off the cob and mixed it together on the little paper plate they gave us so she could eat it without having to pick at her braces for the next several hours. That is when this recipe came to me WHA-BAM! Right then and there I decided to take all the components of the Mexican street corn recipe and put them into casserole form and make it orthodontia friendly. This recipe is also freezer friendly which makes it perfect for prepping ahead of time.

mexican street corn casserole ingredients on a wood countertop

Gather these ingredients

corn
queso fresco or cojita cheese
butter
jalapeno
red bell pepper
lime juice, and lime zest
mayonnaise
red onion
smoked paprika
southwest chipotle seasoning

How to make Mexican Street Corn Casserole

corn, red bell pepper, red onion, and jalepeno in a large glass bowl with a juiced lime and cilantro leaves in the lower left hand counter

You can use fresh corn. You will need 10 corn cobs. Cut the corn off the corn cob. Frozen corn can also be used, which makes this recipe easy to make even when corn is not in season. Use 2 pounds of frozen corn.
Finely chop the jalapeno, red bell pepper, and red onion add them to the corn in a large bowl.

collage of step by step making the sauce for the mexican corn casserole. left photo is all ingredients in a glass bowl on a wood surface. top right photo is a hand adding lime juice, bottom right photo is the sauce being mixed with a white spatula

3. The sauce is easy peasy it’s a mix of mayonnaise and the other elote topping ingredients. In a separate bowl add the mayonnaise, lime zest, smoked paprika, the southwest chipotle seasoning, and the fresh lime juice. Stir well.

all ingredients in dish with sauce poured over them

4. Add chunks of butter, the queso fresco cheese crumbled, and the sauce.

stirring all the ingredients of the mexican corn casserole together in a glass bowl on a wood counter

Combine all the ingredients with a spatula until all the corn is covered in sauce.

mixing all the ingredients together in a large glass bowl on wood counter top

It is completely fine that there are chunks of butter, don’t worry about this, it will all melt together as it bakes.

mexican corn casserole in a rectangle yellow baking dish on a wood countertop with cilantro and a lime in the upper left hand corner of the photo. A hand is sprinkling cheese over the top of the casserole

5. Pour corn casserole into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with with Mexican cheese. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. If you use fresh corn it will take less time to bake than if you use frozen corn. When the corn is bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown the casserole is ready.

spoon over mexican corn held over the dish full of Mexican corn bake

Tips & Variations

Freezing instructions: Do everything as the recipe card states, making sure to put Mexican corn casserole in a freezer safe container. I like to use heavy duty aluminum foil pans. The kind I can get at my local party supply store, they also carry the lids that fit the pans, making it perfect for freezer meals. If you don’t want to spend money on disposable pans simple cover the casserole with a layer of plastic wrap, pressing it down on the top of the casserole so no air can get to it, then cover with a tight layer of aluminum foil. Making it an airtight container for freezing. Write on top of the foil the name of the dish, cooking instructions, and the date it was prepared. This can be made up to 6 weeks in advance. Note: if you google anything about freezing mayonnaise; the information says that mayonnaise does not freeze well and that it changes the consistency. I have never noticed that freezing this recipe changed the consistency at all. So have no fear.
Southwest Chipotle Seasoning: I am sure there are many brands that make a version of this seasoning I have only ever used the Mrs. Dash and the Trader Joe’s Chili Lime variety. If you cannot find either of these in your grocery store they basically contain chili powder and a few other ingredients. 1 tablespoon southwest chipotle = 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder + 1/2 teaspoon cayenne + 1/2 teaspoon cumin + 1/4 teaspoon each or dried oregano, thyme and garlic powder.
Cheese: Queso Fresco and Cojita cheese are not the same, however they are similar enough that they can be used interchangeably in this recipe. If you are unable to find either of these cheeses you can buy a solid block of monterey jack or pepper jack cheese and course grate 1 1/2 cups.
Garnish & Serving suggestions: This easy recipe is a good reason to have taco Tuesday! It is great on the side or on your taco, or in a burrito bowl. Mexican Street Corn Casserole is the perfect side dish at any potluck, or backyard barbecue. Garnish with some fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole in a yellow baking dish on a rust colored napkin on a gray countertop

The first bite will blow your mind with the bright flavors of Mexican street corn. This dish is always a big hit, and I usually double the recipe because everyone loves it so much. Plus the leftovers are just as good as the first day.

Backyard Barbecue Menu

Barbecued Ribs
Sheet Pan Fajitas for a Crowd
Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole
The Best Baked Beans
Gulf Coast Cole Slaw
Salsa Verde and Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips
Turtle Ice Cream Pie and Layered Ice Cream Dessert (the easiest dessert you will ever make!)

Easy Mexican Street Corn Casserole Recipe

Sheila

This Mexican street corn casserole recipe has all the flavors of traditional street corn Elote and it is so easy! I have deconstructed the traditional elote corn recipe and put into casserole form! So easy and the perfect side dish for any backyard bbq.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings servings

Calories 273 kcal

Ingredients

8-10 ears fresh Corn or 2lbs frozen corn
1/3 cup finely chopped Red Onion
1 Red Pepper washed, cored, and finely chopped
1 Jalapeno Pepper seeded and minced, or if you want it spicy keep the seeds in
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 tbsp lime zest zest of one lime
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/4 cup Butter cold and sliced into thin pieces
6 ounces Queso Fresco Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9×13 baking dish.
Husk and clean corn, cut kernels off the cobs into a large bowl.
Clean, core, and chop red bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper finely. Chop red onion fine add to corn and combine.
In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, seasoning blend, and smoked paprika. Whisk to combine.
Add cubed butter, 1 cup of the crumbled cheese and sauce to vegetable mixture making sure everything is covered with sauce.
Pour into a 9×13 buttered baking dish sprinkle with remaining crumbled queso fresco cheese and sprinkle Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If you used frozen corn bake 45 minutes, uncovered.

Notes

This recipe can made ahead, packed up in an airtight freezer safe container and frozen for up to six weeks prior to baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 256mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 302IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword casserole, cheese, chili, corn, elote, freezer meal, lime, Mexican, side dish

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