I’m making this 10-ingredient corn dip for our Labor Day cookout. Inspired by Mexican street corn, it’s creamy, zesty, and delicious—always a hit!

I have one goal over Labor Day weekend: to enjoy ALL the summer produce! Though fall is just around the corner, tomatoes, zucchini, and my favorite—fresh sweet corn—are still in season, and I’m doing my best to make the most of them while I can.

I’m planning a Labor Day cookout menu packed with summer veggies, and I’m kicking it off with this crowd-pleasing Mexican street corn dip. It’s inspired by the Mexican dish esquites, the off-the-cob version of elote. Creamy, tangy, spicy, and savory, it’s one of my all-time favorite appetizers!

Here’s why I love this Mexican street corn dip:

• It’s a corn celebration! You’ve probably realized that I love fresh sweet corn. This dip is bursting with the sweet, crisp, and juicy kernels. Serve it with corn tortilla chips for double corn flavor!
• The textures and flavors are amazing. I coat the corn in a rich, zesty mixture of Greek yogurt, mayo, and lime. The creamy/crunchy contrast is SO delicious! The flavors are incredible too—the corn is grilled, so it has a nice smoky undertone. Scallions add a savory kick, and jalapeños bring the heat. Tangy Cotija cheese takes it all over the top.
• You can prep it in advance. Serving a crowd? Don’t worry about assembling this dip at the last minute. It actually tastes better if you make it ahead and give the flavors a chance to mingle in the fridge. Feel free to prep it up to a day in advance! Add garnishes like cilantro, hot sauce, and Cotija just before serving.

If you’re looking for a fun, fresh appetizer to serve this weekend, you can’t go wrong with this dip.

L&L reader Beth wrote, “I’ve been making this for the past two years and it’s always a crowd pleaser.” Cece said, “This was so darn good!”

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Want to make this recipe? Here are a few tips:

• No grill? No problem. You can char the corn on the stove instead of grilling it. I do this all the time—heat a large, dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add as many ears of corn as will fit in a single layer and cook, rotating them as they char, until they’re lightly charred on all sides. Each batch should take just 7 to 8 minutes, and the corn comes out delicious!
• Adjust the spice level to taste. Don’t let the word “spicy” scare you. If you’re sensitive to spice, you can totally adapt this recipe to your tastes! I like to top it off with hot sauce, but that’s optional. You can also skip the jalapeño to reduce the heat even more.

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Elote, or Mexican street corn, is one of my family’s favorite 4th of July sides. It’s creamy, zesty, spicy, and sweet—everyone always wants seconds!

When I host my family’s 4th of July cookout, I always serve fresh corn in some form. Sweet, juicy, and vibrant yellow, it’s one of my favorite summer vegetables (if not my favorite vegetable, period). I can’t imagine a July 4th meal without it.

Corn salads have made appearances, as has simple boiled corn on the cob. But the corn dish that my family absolutely can’t get enough of is this Mexican-inspired elote recipe.

Here’s why we love it:

• It’s so easy. I’m talking 6 ingredients and 30 minutes! Just make classic grilled corn on the cob, then add all the fixings.
• The flavors are fantastic. I slather the ears with zesty lime mayo, then sprinkle on chili powder, cilantro, and Cotija cheese. The combination is creamy, crunchy, sweet, smoky, and bright. Corn on the cob doesn’t get better than this!
• Everyone can assemble their own. Between my sister’s immediate family and mine, we have three kiddos and several spice skeptics. So it works out well that everyone can decide what they want on their corn. It’s a fun party activity too—I love getting everyone involved in the cooking!

I can’t wait to make (and eat!) this recipe at our 4th of July celebration on Friday.

If you want to serve it at yours too, make sure to buy double the corn you think you’ll need. Everyone will want seconds!

L&L reader Crystal agrees: “I have never tried elote before and this was the only way to get it without traveling. YUM! Next time we will buy more corn so everyone can have seconds!”

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Want to make this elote recipe? Here are a few tips:

• Buy the freshest corn you can. The sweeter and juicier it is, the better. If possible, get local corn from a farm stand or farmers market. If you’re shopping at the grocery store, choose fresh corn in the husks instead of small ears wrapped in plastic.
• Make it extra-creamy. For simplicity’s sake, I brush my elote with just mayo and lime. But if you’d like to make it even creamier, you can use a mix of mayo and Mexican crema or sour cream. Mayo and Greek yogurt would work well too!

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