This Mexican Street Corn Dip is one of my absolute favorite dips. It’s made with a creamy base, fresh charred sweet yellow corn, bold spices, and a cheesy topping!
It is make-ahead friendly and comes together in just 25 minutes. It’s truly the perfect dip for your next party, summer backyard BBQ or game day!
I’m planning an epic menu to host a Cinco de Mayo party next week, and this Mexican street corn dip is definitely making an appearance at my table. I know that, just like my Chorizo Queso Dip, this one will also be a huge hit!
If you’ve tried my Mexican Street Corn Salad, I think you’ll love this one too! This dip combines bold spices with a smoky and tangy kick, and also cream cheese and sour cream. The fresh sweet corn adds that delicious natural sweetness. It’s also got onions and jalapeños for flavor and a heat.
You’ll love the creamy, bubbly goodness! Before it goes into the oven, I top it with a generous layer of shredded cheese that melts to perfection!
Making this Mexican street corn dip is very easy and comes together pretty quickly in just under 25 minutes, all in one pan for easy clean-up.
Looking for more recipes? Try my Carne Asada Fries, Chicken Taquitos or my Chicken Fajita Bowls. This Honey Butter Skillet Corn is a must try too!
Why we love making Mexican street corn dip:
- Amazing flavors. Bold, tangy, spicy, smoky, and sweet all in one dip.
- Very simple to make. Straightforward and just one pan for easy clean up.
- Perfect for a crowd! I promise everyone will love it. You may need to make an extra batch!
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Ingredients Notes
Here are a few ingredient notes from recipe testing that you might find helpful when grabbing your Mexican street corn dip ingredients.
- Sweet yellow corn: I use 3 to 4 ears of fresh corn, which is about 3 cups of corn kernels. You can also use canned corn, drained and patted dry.
- Unsalted butter: Rich flavor to sauté the onions and jalapenos.
- Onions and jalapeños: For flavor and heat, which does a nice job balancing out the richness of the creamy dip.
- Softened cream cheese and sour cream: Both create a velvety texture, and the sour cream adds a nice tangy finish. You can also use Mexican cream instead of sour cream.
- Shredded cheese: I like to use a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack, but feel free to switch it up as needed.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika and garlic powder.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For garnish, top with cilantro and more jalapeños
As always, the quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
This Mexican Street corn dip comes together very easily, ready in just 25 minutes or less. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Char the corn
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (to bake the dip near the end).
In a 10-inch cast iron pan, lightly brush the corn ears with oil and then char on all sides, then cut off the kernels. If you’re starting with kernels, sauté for about 5 minutes over high heat until slightly charred. Remove the corn from the skillet.
Step 2 | Sauté aromatics
In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then sauté diced onions and jalapeños for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the corn kernels, saving some for garnish if you’d like.
Season with the chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Step 3 | Add creamy base and bake
Lower the heat, then add the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until it is melted and smooth, but don’t let it simmer or boil, otherwise it will turn gritty. As soon as it’s melted, turn off the heat.
Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
To serve, garnish with the reserved charred corn, fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices.
Tips for Success
- As mentioned above, don’t let the cream cheese come to a simmer because it may get gritty. Only stir until just melted and smooth over low heat.
- I like to use a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or any oven-proof skillet) for easy clean-up, but you can also use a baking pan.
- For baking, place the skillet on top of a sheet pan to catch any spills.
- Adjust the amount of seasoning and heat to taste.
- Use freshly grated shredded cheese for a meltier dip, but pre-packaged works too.
Make Ahead Tips
Here’s how you can make this Mexican street corn dip the day before:
- Follow recipe directions, but don’t bake it yet. Transfer the dip mixture into a container and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, reheat the dip (don’t bring it to a simmer though) until just melted.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake as directed.
Serving and Pairing Ideas
This is such a versatile dip that can be served many different ways, but obviously corn tortilla chips are a must! Here are some ideas:
- Corn tortilla chips. Warm them up in the oven for a few minutes so they are extra crunchy! Crackers or pita chips also work.
- Veggies, such as celery, bell peppers, or carrots as dippers for a lighter option
- Use as a filling for tacos, tostadas and quesadillas
- Top on your favorite nachos!
More Mexican Inspired Recipes:
- Carne Asada Fries
- Chicken Quesadilla
- Shrimp Guacamole Bites
- Easy 4-Ingredient Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Mexican Red Rice
Recipe FAQs
Yes! For canned corn, drain and then pat dry any excess water. For frozen corn, there’s no need to thaw – just cook from frozen.
I’d highly recommend grating your own cheese for maximum meltiness, but you can also use pre-packaged shredded cheese for convenience.
Reheat in the microwave oven until melted, along with a fresh layer of shredded cheese. Or in the oven at 350F for a few minutes.
The ancho chili powder and jalapeños are a bit spicy, so adjust to taste.
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Mexican Street Corn Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ears sweet yellow corn - or about 3 cups corn kernels
- Olive or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeños - seeds removed, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder - or to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream - or Mexican crema
- ¾ cup freshly shredded cheese - I use Monterey Jack and Cheddar
- Chopped cilantro - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly brush corn with oil. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat, then char the corn for a few minutes on all sides. Cut off the kernels and set aside. Note: If using corn kernels, sauté them for about 5 minutes over high heat until slightly charred.
- Lower the heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté onions and jalapeños until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Return the corn kernels to the pan. Season with chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Tip: Save a few kernels for garnish.
- Turn heat to low. Add the softened cream cheese and sour cream, stirring until just melted and smooth. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil, otherwise it can turn gritty.
- Turn the heat off. Top with the shredded cheese. Place the skillet on a large sheet pan (to catch any spills) and bake for 10-12 minutes until bubbly and fully melted on top.
- Garnish with more corn, cilantro and jalapeños. Enjoy while still warm and melty.
Notes
- Important: Don’t let the cream cheese and sour cream come to a simmer or boil in the skillet, otherwise it can turn gritty. Instead, stir until just melted and smooth over low heat. Starting with softened cream cheese (at room temp) helps.
- You can also use a 8×8 inch baking pan or similar size.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for a meltier top later, but prepackaged works too.
- If using canned corn kernels, drain and pat dry. If using frozen corn kernels, cook straight from frozen.
- Make ahead (1 day ahead): Combine everything in the skillet until just melted and smooth (except the shredded cheese layer) as directed. Transfer to a container and let it cool before refrigerating. The next day, warm it up, top with shredded cheese, and bake as directed.
- Reheat in the microwave oven or in the oven at 350F.
- Sour cream: Can also use Mexican crema.
- Jalapeño: Serrano pepper, green bell pepper, or omit.
Patty says
Omg this was delicious! Eat it right after it comes out of the oven becasue that way you will get that creaminess and incredible cheese pull. I used frozen corn and it was great, but I will try it again with fresh corn in the summer.