5-Ingredient Mexican Street Corn Recipe

There is a time in life for a five-course meal complete with forks for each dish, palate-cleansing sorbet after the soup, wines paired to the entree and the dessert, and a cappuccino to complete the meal. Then there are times when there's nothing better than an ear of 5-ingredient Mexican street corn that you hold by the husk and devour with pure pleasure, messy face, fingers, and all. Actually, pretty much any time is a good time for this delicious treat that you can whip together in about ten minutes and you pretty much can't get wrong. 

In fact, food writer and chef Maren Epstein of Eating Works says: "This recipe is so simple it's literally fool-proof. You really can't mess it up, and very little actual cooking is involved." 

You can, however, put your own spin on this 5-ingredient Mexican street corn, she says. "You can sub out traditional mayo for vegan mayo, and if you don't have cojita cheese, you can use grated Parmesan instead. And any number of Spanish seasonings will do, such as paprika or cumin [in place of taco seasoning]."

Last pro tip Epstein shares? "This is street food. It's messy. Have a napkin handy to wipe up the mayo." Or maybe two or three. And maybe some baby wipes, too. Or just get to the sink for a good rinse after a great snack.

The only tricky thing about this 5-ingredient Mexican street corn recipe is getting good ears of fresh corn. While so many recipes that rely on corn can be made with frozen or canned kernels, this one demands fresh ears. So, make the most of the stuff when it's in season.

As a base recipe to make four servings, you'll want four ears of corn, husks on, one tablespoon of butter, one cup of mayonnaise, a cup of cojita cheese, and four tablespoons of taco seasoning. But remember, you can substitute anything except the corn itself! That goes for the type of mayo, the type of cheese, and the spice blend you want to use.

If you're using a grill, go ahead and get it fired up a medium heat. (Charcoal is amazing for this recipe, but admittedly, it's a lot of work for about seven minutes of total time grilling.) You can also use a broiler, which should also be well pre-heated. But first, microwave the ears corn for five minutes with the husks on. 

Then, carefully peel back the husks — the corn will be hot, but you also want to make sure that you don't rip the husks off accidentally. Remove the silk from the ear, and then braid the husks and tie them off at the ends to create a handle.

Rub the butter all over each ear of corn, and then grill them on one side for about three or four minutes, then flip and grill the corn for two or three minutes. If you are using a broiler, arrange the ears so they will be evenly spaced beneath the flame when set on a half sheet tray. Place the tray in the broiler for four minutes, then turn the ears and rotate the tray and allow the corn to cook for another three minutes. 

Regardless of cooking method, you want your 5-ingredient Mexican street corn to turn golden and brown in different spots.

The only way to mess up this 5-ingredient Mexican street corn recipe (other than by burning the corn to a crisp) is to go too light on things during this step. Slather the mayo all over the corn ears, then dip them (or roll them) in the cheese until the ears are evenly coated. Repeat as needed for a thick layering. 

Now, season the corn with a generous amount of taco seasoning and enjoy. And then wash your hands before you touch anything!