Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn

This easy Instant Pot Mexican corn cooks in 2 minutes at high pressure. Top with cotija cheese and creamy sauce and it’s delish. The perfect side for cookouts, parties and summer gatherings.

What is street corn? 

Elote is a term used to describe corn, or street corn. And, in some regions of Mexico, street corn are sold by “eloteros”—people who walk around with a cart selling elotes (street corn). My family loves this Mexican side so much we even make street corn casserole!

This amazing side dish is the perfect recipe when you’re looking for a flavorful, Mexican-inspired recipe for summer cookouts, potlucks or outdoor gatherings. Serve it with carnitas, tacos or alongside a quesadilla.

what you’ll need

For this simple recipe, you’ll need just a few ingredients.

• Corn– on the cob, sweet/yellow
• Sour cream or crema
• Cilantro
• Fresh garlic- I recommend using garlic, as it gives extra flavor to the dish
• Mayonaise– I used Hellman’s, but any brand will do the trick
• Chili powder or ground red pepper
• Lime juice– fresh is best

step by step instructions

step 1: pressure cook the corn

1. Add a cup of water to your instant pot/ pressure cooker
2. Place the grilling rack so the corn is not submerged in the water
3. Add 3-4 ears of small corn or stack the corn vertically to evenly cook
4. Vent (quick release) after pressure cooking for 2 minutes

step 2: make the cream sauce

While the corn is in the Instant Pot, make the cream sauce (or make ahead to save time)

1. use a tiny wink or fork to blend the ingredients.
2. refrigerate my sauce for at least 2 hours, allowing time for flavors to combine.

step 3: brush on the sauce

step 4: top with cotija cheese and cilantro

tips

• Pressure cook for only 2 minutes and vent (release pressure quickly)
• Butter corn after cooking to prevent drying out
• Save time by choosing pre-husked sweet corn from your local grocer

FAQs

What’s cotija cheese?

Cotija cheese is made with cows milk, is salty, and similar to parmesan cheese. 

• Its round in shape (typically) and you won’t need a knife to cut it. 
• Simply break a portion off and continue breaking the cheese apart until crumbles form. Cotija cheese makes the perfect topping for street corn, tacos, and more.

substitutions

• Corn– sweet corn or yellow corn work best
• Mayonnaise– If you don’t like mayo, you won’t even taste it in this recipe. However, you may omit it if you cannot have mayonnaise. Simply add extra crema or sour cream instead.
• Cotija cheese- feta or queso fresco are great alternatives to feta and they crumble just as well

leftovers

• Leftover sauce– use leftover cream sauce with salsa for burgers, tacos, or for salad dressing. Keep in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Leftover corn– I recommend placing cobs in a moist paper towel in the refrigerator overnight. Pressure cooked corn is best consumed the day of cooking.

What to serve with street corn?

• tacos
• carnitas
• burgers

WHAT GOES WITH CORN?