Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn is the ultimate easy side dish — sweet, salty, and savory elote made in just 10 minutes with cotija cheese, chili, lime, and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ½ cup cotija cheese
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Shuck the corn and remove the silk. You may need to trim the corn to fit in your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 3 minutes. Spritz the corn with a tiny amount of spray oil and add it to the air fryer. Fry for 5 minutes at 390°F, then carefully turn with tongs. Fry another 5 to 6 minutes, until the corn is tender and the outside has begun to char slightly. While the corn is cooking, combine the sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl. When the corn is done, remove it from the air fryer with tongs and brush all sides liberally with the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese and spices, squeeze the fresh lime juice over the top, and add the chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste, remembering that the cheese is salty. Serve immediately.
Notes
Queso fresco or feta cheese can be substituted if you can't find cotija. This dish isn't spicy; if you're sensitive to chili powder, use only paprika. Any variety of fresh corn works. Variations: add lime zest to the sour cream mix for extra zing; add a pinch of cayenne plus a drizzle of hot honey for sweet and spicy; or stir chopped fresh or pickled jalapeños into the sauce. For a buttery upgrade, brush with melted butter halfway through air frying. To make a dip, cut the cooked kernels off the cob, toss with the remaining ingredients, and serve with tortilla chips. No air fryer? Boil, grill, or roast the corn, then follow the topping steps. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days; reheat in the oven or on a grill.