Name: Crowd-Pleasing Mexican Street Corn Dip Recipe For Party Night
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned, drained); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus extra for topping); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Let Me Tell You About This Addictive Street Corn Dip

You’re here for the Mexican street corn dip, right? Okay, pull up a chair because, honestly, this stuff is a little legendary at my place. The first time I whipped it up—I kind of panicked because I’d just burnt the chicken wings (don’t ask) and needed something wow-worthy, fast. True story: my picky brother-in-law ate the leftovers out of a Tupperware with tortilla chips at breakfast the next day. Maybe that’s kind of gross. But hey, it’s a rave review in my book.

I love how this dip smells like summer, like wandering past those downtown food carts, even though I’m usually just standing barefoot in my kitchen, nervously checking if I have enough cotija. Sometimes I get carried away and make way too much but, you know, somehow the bottom of the dish just appears like magic anyway. Also, not to overshare, but making this means I get to scrape the crispy bits off the skillet for myself. Perks of cooking, am I right?

Why You’ll Totally Get Addicted Too

I make this dip every time friends come over for game night because it’s criminally easy, but people can’t stop hovering over the bowl—especially if there’s a chilly drink in hand (which, honestly, is a must in my book). My family basically devours it before the rest of the food is on the table. And sometimes, for potlucks, I double the recipe… except I’d mess up the math and ended up making it triple once; it completely disappeared anyway. It’s cheesy, zippy, and you can make it as spicy or mild as you like, which means even my neighbor who can’t eat anything hotter than black pepper still goes for seconds. Actually, I think I like it cold out of the fridge best? But then again, hot with gooey cheese is tough to beat. I’ve spilled chip crumbs in it more than once—nobody noticed, so I’m counting that as a win.

Gathering What You Need (Substitutions Welcome!)

4 cups corn kernels (fresh is great, frozen totally works; canned if it’s all you have—I’ve done it)
1 cup mayonnaise (I sometimes do half sour cream—Greek yogurt in a pinch, no one noticed)
1/2 cup cotija cheese (or feta; my grandma liked queso fresco, but any salty crumbly cheese will do, really)
1 jalapeño, minced (or a bit more if you like heat, and definitely seed it if you’re not into spicy stuff)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped ultra-fine (white onion is fine too; I once used green onions when desperate)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (skip if you’re one of those soap-tastes folks! Parsley nearly works)
Juice of 2 limes (or in a real pinch, bottled is as good as it’ll get)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works, just less smoky; sometimes I do chili powder, and poof, a whole new flavor)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar, or pepper jack, or… you know, whatever is in the fridge)

How To Make It (No Need To Stress!)

Preheat a skillet (anything works, but if you’ve got a cast iron, use it! If not—no sweat) over high-ish heat. Toss in the corn—no oil yet, just dry. Spread it out, let it char a bit until some bits are browned and crackly (don’t fuss about flipping constantly; walk away for a second and check your phone like I do).
Once the corn’s got some color, slide it into a bowl. Let it cool for a few mins (I always burn my tongue if I rush this, seriously).
Meanwhile, mix together mayo (and/or sour cream/yogurt), cotija, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, spices, salt and pepper in a big bowl. Stir until it’s all combined and creamy looking. This is where I sneak a taste and try not to double dip.
Toss in that charred (or not-so-charred) corn and fold in half of the shredded cheese. Mix until it looks like something you’d want to eat, not like bird seed.
Spoon it all into a baking dish (I use an 8-inch one, but honestly, I’ve used a pie tin, and once, a loaf pan). Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes—until it’s bubbly and starting to get brown on top. Or if you’re feeling impatient, broil it for 2 or 3 minutes to brown the cheese faster (watch it though, it can go from golden to black-hole-in-space in a blink).
Let cool a smidge; trust me, molten cheese can ruin your evening. Also, don’t worry if it looks a bit oily or separated—just stir it and it’ll come together like a champ.

A Few Notes to Save Your Sanity

Learned the hard way: if your corn is super wet (frozen especially), pat it dry or you’ll steam instead of char. Makes a big difference!
One time I forgot to buy limes so I used bottled lemon juice. It works! Not perfect, but the world didn’t end (though my sister noticed, somehow).
I don’t always measure the cheese. If it looks like enough, it is. Don’t fret about getting it exact.

How I’ve Tweaked (and Occasionally Botched) This Recipe

Added crumbled cooked bacon—so good, but honestly, hard to scoop if cut too big, so chop it tiny.
Stirred in some chipotle in adobo—added more smoky heat, but went overboard once and it was like a five-alarm fire. Not recommended unless you like crying while eating.
Tried a vegan mayo and cheese—texture was fine, but flavor a bit off. Maybe you’ll nail it, but I haven’t (yet).
Used canned corn without fully draining it—result: weird water at the bottom. Only forget that mistake once!

Tools You (Might) Need

One big bowl (anything will do—even that plastic one with the missing lid)
Skillet/frying pan (heavy-bottomed is best but I’ve used nonstick and survived)
Baking dish (8-9 inch, but I swear, even a muffin tin divides it into portions perfectly for parties)
If you don’t have an oven: skip the baking, just make sure your cheese is room temp and stir it in. It’s still delicious, but gooier hot.

Crowd-Pleasing Mexican Street Corn Dip Recipe For Party Night

How to Store It (If It Lasts That Long)

This dip will hang out in the fridge for at least three days, tightly covered, and still taste like a festival in your mouth—though, honestly, in my house it never survives overnight. You can reheat it in the microwave, but cover with a damp paper towel or the cheese gets weirdly crusty. Also, I think it actually tastes better the next day, but the family rarely lets me test that theory.

Serving Ideas (Steal My Go-To Moves)

I’m all about scooping it up with tortilla chips (the saltier, the better). But, one time my cousin served it with crunchy veggie sticks, and people actually liked it—so, you do you. Sometimes I spoon it right into warm tortillas for an impromptu taco bar situation. And every New Year’s Eve, we set it up next to a bowl of chili for extra topping points. Oh, and once—don’t laugh—I tried it on toast with a fried egg in the morning. Game changer!

Lessons Form My Many Mistakes (a Few Tips)

Don’t rush charring the corn; if you try it on super-high heat with still-wet kernels, you just get sticky mush. Let it dry first!
Taste before adding extra salt. Cotija can be crazy salty, and once I nearly made a salt lick instead of a dip by accident.
If your cheese on top isn’t browning, broil it—but never walk away during the broil! I set off the smoke alarm one memorable Saturday.

FAQs (Real Questions From My Friends…and Instagram DMs)

Can I make this ahead? Absolutely! Actually, I find it works better if you make it ahead and reheat right before serving. Easier on you, and the flavors cozy up overnight.

Is fresh corn totally necessary? Oh heck no. Use frozen (just get unfancy, plain kernels—not creamed corn, please!) It’ll taste just fine. If you do use fresh, slice it off the cob and enjoy that tiny boost in flavor, but it’s not life or death.

Is it spicy? Only if you want it to be. Leave the jalapeño out (or scrape every seed and membrane away) and it’s pretty mild. Or pile on pickled jalapeños at the end for more kick.

Can I freeze leftovers? I tried that once—don’t recommend it. The texture got kind of sad and watery after thawing. Eat it fresh!

Where do I get cotija cheese? Most supermarkets have it in the cheese or international section. If not, check out MexGrocer or Melissa’s Produce; both work great—in a pinch, use feta.

Random side note: If you’re ever looking for a legit street corn recipe to try grilling, Serious Eats has one that I tried last summer. Came out messy but tasty, just like it should. Anyway, back to your party. Hope this recipe brings as many laughs (and napkins) to your table as it does to mine!

Crowd-Pleasing Mexican Street Corn Dip Recipe For Party Night