Warm Elote Corn Dip Recipe

Nothing says party quite like a warm, bubbly dip. Join that with the flavors of elote — Mexico's popular street food of grilled corn slathered in creamy, spicy goodness — and you've got yourself a true fiesta for the ages. According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, elote is considered one of the most beloved street snacks, called "antojitos," in Mexican cuisine. 

Corn always makes us think of sunshine, celebrations, and the taste of late summer. Luckily, we can enjoy those same flavors any time of year with this easy, crowd-pleasing corn dip. This dip captures everything there is to love about elote in a hearty, flavor-packed package perfect for chip dipping. Combining sweet corn, zesty lime juice, spicy jalapeños, and creamy cotija cheese, this recipe is sure to be a hit at your next game day or potluck party.

The method for making this Mexican-inspired dip is surprisingly simple, too — just roast some corn, fold it into a quickly prepared creamy and cheesy base that has all the traditional elote toppings and sauce, and bake until hot and bubbly. Top with crispy cotija cheese and fresh cilantro for an authentic elote taste, and serve to a crowd! Grab some tortilla chips and get ready for a taste of this insanely delicious, Mexican-inspired appetizer.

Set the oven to broil on high.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the frozen corn on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 5–7 minutes, until the corn starts to brown.

Set the oven to 350 F.

Stir the warmed corn into the mixture.

Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish.

Top with shredded cheese and remaining ½ cup cotija cheese.

Bake for 5–8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Broil on high for 2 minutes to brown the cheese.

Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro.

Serve the warm dip with tortilla chips.

Cotija cheese is traditional in Mexican cooking in general and in elote recipes in particular, as it adds salty and crumbly texture to the dish. However, we know that it can be hard to find! You can use a few alternatives if you can't find cotija near you. In terms of texture and flavor, the best cotija substitute is probably feta cheese. Like cotija, feta is a firm, crumbly cheese with a salty tang that holds its shape when baked or grated. For a milder flavor, queso fresco or even ricotta salata can be used in place of the cotija. Queso fresco has a similar crumbly texture, while ricotta salata delivers creamy, mellow saltiness. For cotija's distinctive aged, nutty notes, parmesan or romano make excellent substitutes. Just use freshly grated cheese in the dip base, and sprinkle some on top of the baked dip. The hard Italian cheeses bring that salty, umami pop that the recipe needs. While not exactly the same, any of these cheeses can provide this dip with the necessary flavor and texture in place of traditional cotija cheese.