Did you know you can make Mexican street corn in the air fryer? More commonly known as elotes, this popular street food is corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise, butter, cheese, and spices.
I absolutely love street food. Whenever I’m in Mexico, I just can’t eat enough street tacos, mangos with spicy tajin, and elotes. This recipe is an easy adaptation of the delicious elotes found on almost every street corner in Mexico—and it comes together in less than 30 minutes.
In Mexico, street vendors typically use Cotija cheese to make this delicious corn snack. Depending on where you live, Cotija cheese can be hard to find. This Mexican street corn recipe uses parmesan cheese, which has a strong salty flavor that combines well with the spices and mayonnaise.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No grilling needed: Beat the heat and make this entire recipe without a grill. You only need your microwave and air fryer to make this Mexican street corn.
- A fantastic spicy side dish: If you like spicy foods, you’ll love these elotes. They’re covered with just enough chili powder and cayenne pepper to give it a little kick. (And, you can easily add less spice if you want a milder version.)
- Great for salads: Add this cheese-coated corn to your salad for a delicious, flavorful, and spicy boost.
If you love this air fryer Mexican street corn recipe, be sure to check out our air fryer fish tacos, try our delicious air fryer enchiladas, or cook up some air fryer fajitas.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- The easiest way to shuck corn: Just put the corn (husk and all) into the microwave for 3 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave, then cut off the stem at the base of the corn. Then, with a quick squeeze, the corn slides right out of the husk—no silky strands of corn all over the kitchen.
- Don’t overcrowd: Spread the corn in a single layer in your air fryer basket. If you pile the corn on top of each other, it might not cook properly. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook in batches.
- Serve warm or cold: Elotes are traditionally served warm, but they’re also great served cold! Add this Mexican street corn to a salad or taco dish for some extra flavor.
- Add lime: If you want a little more tang, add a squeeze of lime juice to the corn as a final step before taking that first bite.
How to Store Air Fryer Elotes
This Mexican snack is so good, you probably won’t have any leftovers. But if you do, just put it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn
This recipe is a fantastic side dish for any Mexican-style meal. It goes especially well with fish tacos and chicken chimichangas. I also love to use it as a salad topping for chicken salads. The spicy corn is an excellent addition to any salad combination, and you can even turn it into a salad all on its own (check out this delicious Mexican street corn salad).
Make it a complete meal by topping it off with a classic Mexican drink like a Michelada or a refreshing watermelon agua fresca, perfect for those hot summer days.
More Air Fryer Mexican Food Recipes
- Air fryer fish tacos: A taco night favorite, these fish tacos have a delicious garlic lime crema that combines fantastically with the breaded fish and coleslaw mix.
- Air fryer enchiladas: These vegetarian tofu enchiladas have a delicious homemade red sauce. With rice and beans on the side, this dish will quickly become a family favorite.
- Air fryer tortilla chips: Just as good as the ones in the Mexican restaurants, these tortilla chips are the essential side dish. Whip up some guacamole, salsa to dip them in or eat them with your air fryer elotes.
Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn
Equipment
- Microwave
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Microwave the corn ears (husk and all) for 3 minutes. Cut the stem at the base of the corn and squeeze the corn out of the husk.
- Cut the corn in half lengthwise (the long way), then cut that in half. Each ear of corn should yield 4 long quarter pieces.
- Place the corn pieces in the air fryer basket and spray with oil.
- Cook at 350°F for 10 minutes until the corn is cooked.
- After the corn cools down, brush with mayonnaise. Make sure the corn is well coated.
- Pour the grated parmesan cheese in a flat dish. Place the mayonnaise-coated corn pieces in the parmesan cheese and use a spoon to cover the corn with cheese.
- Season the corn pieces with chili powder. For more spice, add a few dashes of cayenne pepper.
Notes
- This recipe can also be made with frozen corn. Evenly distribute the frozen corn in your air fryer basket. Spray with oil and cook for 350°F for 8 minutes. Add mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, chili powder and cayenne pepper to a tupperware container and mix. Add the corn to the tupperware container, seal it, and give it a good shake for 1-2 minutes, until the corn is covered in the seasoned mixture.
- This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you are using an air fryer oven, use the middle rack and choose the “Air Fry” function.
- Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Make sure to check your food as it’s cooking to learn your air fryer better and avoid over- or undercooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can also make air fryer Mexican street corn with frozen corn. Just evenly distribute the frozen corn in your air fryer basket, spray with oil, and cook for 350°F for 8 minutes.
Then, add mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, chili powder and cayenne powder to a tupperware container and mix. Add the corn to the tupperware container, seal it, and give it a good shake for 1-2 minutes until the corn is covered in the seasoned mixture.
Yes, elotes are typically made with tajin or chiles, which makes them a little spicy. When you make your air fryer elotes, you can decide how much chili powder and cayenne pepper to add depending on how spicy you like them.
