Elotes Style Corn with Furikake

Elotes Style Corn with Furikake is a delicious umami dish inspired by Mexican street corn and flavored with Japanese ingredients. There are a few ways to enjoy this corn, including on the cob, cut into smaller servings, or cut off the cob and served as a salad.

Jump to:

• What is Elote Corn and How to Prepare It
• A Mexican Dish with Japanese Flavors
• Ingredients
• How to Make Elotes Style Corn
• Equipment Needed to Make Elotes Corn
• Substitutions
• Variations
• How to Store the Corn
• Did You Like This Recipe?
• Elotes Style Corn with Furikake

What is Elote Corn and How to Prepare It

Elotes, also known as Mexican street corn, is a delicious summer staple. Eloteros, or those who sell elotes, often prepare and sell elotes in popular areas of town. When I grew up in Los Angeles, elotes were often available in popular late-night areas and at the beach, along with fresh fruit covered in chile and lime juice.

Elotes is boiled or grilled corn seasoned with mayonnaise, chile powder, sour cream, butter, and cheese. The spice of the chile powder, the creaminess of the mayo and cheese, and the tartness of the lime enhance the sweetness of the corn. Each bite of the corn is a burst of the sweet, salty, spicy flavors of summer.

A Mexican Dish with Japanese Flavors

Elotes Style Corn with Furikake is an ode to my love for this delicious Mexican summer treat, umami flavors, and Japanese seasonings. If this dish were a place, it would be Downtown LA, where Mexican and Japanese neighborhoods play an integral role in LA food and culture.

Japanese seasonings adorn this version of elotes style corn. These Japanese toppings include Kewpie mayo, furikake, and togarashi. The MSG (monosodium glutamate) in Kewpie mayo lends a rich umami flavor to the corn, while the furikake adds both texture and a toasty taste. Finally, togarashi is a Japanese chili powder that is spicy, sweet, and salty all at once. Together, these ingredients create a Japanese-inspired elote that can be enjoyed all summer long.

Ingredients

• Ears of corn - Provides the sweet and crunchy base of the elotes.
• Vegetable oil - A natural and healthy fat that helps the corn roast.
• Butter - Adds velvety richness to the cooked corn.
• Kewpie mayo - Adds umami flavor to the elotes. Unlike American mayonnaise, Kewpie mayo is made with only egg yolks instead of whole eggs and with either apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar with no added sugar or salt. Its texture is both richer and creamier than regular mayonnaise.
• Garlic powder - Adds a hint of spice and the classic aroma.
• Kosher salt - A coarse edible salts that enhances all the flavors of the dish.
• Cotija cheese - A salty, crumbly Mexican cheese to be grated on the corn.
• Furikake - A Japanese seaweed seasoning. The most common furikake is made of dried nori, or seaweed, sesame seeds, and salt. There are other types of furikake, which have bonito flakes, rice puffs, shrimp, and other bits of umami-packed ingredients.
• Togarashi - Imbues heat into the dish.
• Cilantro - Brings a spicy, aromatic bite to the dish without overpowering the other flavors.
• Lime - Adds a zesty, citrus element that brightens the elotes.

How to Make Elotes Style Corn

This Elotes Style Corn recipe requires a few simple steps and less than 45 minutes of your time. It can be enjoyed on the corn cob or off the cob in the form of a salad. If you plan to cut the kernels off the cob and serve the corn as a side salad, I recommend one cob per person.

1. Heat the oven - Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brush the corn - Brush the corn with the vegetable oil so that the cobs are evenly coated. 
3. Cook the corn - Place the cobs on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook the corn for 30 minutes and turn halfway through. Then turn the heat up to 400°F and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Mix the Kewpie Mayo and Garlic Powder - While the corn cooks, add Kewpie mayo, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir the ingredients together until well-mixed and the garlic powder is incorporated. Set aside. 
5. Slather with Butter and Garlic Kewpie Mayo - Remove the corn from the oven and place the cobs on a serving plate. Brush the corn with butter, then with the garlic Kewpie mayo mixture.
6. Add Cheese, Furikake, Togarashi, and Lime - Then, top the corn with grated cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, furikake, and togarashi. Finally, squeeze lime juice over the cobs and serve. 

Equipment Needed to Make Elotes Corn

To make Elotes Style Corn with Furikake, you will need a baking sheet, knife, cutting board, small bowl, tongs, and serving platter. Corn holders are optional, but make it easier to eat the corn, especially for kids.

To explore more kitchen items to make your kitchen complete, head to my shop: Kat’s Kitchen Essentials.

Substitutions

• Mexican Crema - Use Mexican Crema instead of sour cream if you want a less sour replacement with a higher fat content.
• Queso Fresco - Use queso fresco instead of cotija cheese for creamier and milder cheese.

Variations

• Elotes Street Corn Salad - To enjoy this elotes recipe off the cob or chilled as a salad, use a knife to carefully remove the kernels from the cob after baking the corn. Place the kernels in a bowl and mix the ingredients and toppings. Serve warm or chilled as a salad.
• Spicy - Add togarashi or chile powder to make the dish extra spicy

How to Store the Corn

Whether you make the corn on the cob or off the cob, store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days after making the recipe. Do not reheat.

Did You Like This Recipe?

If you liked this elote recipe, please rate and comment below. For more recipes that go with elotes corn, check out:

• Healthy Corn and Zucchini Fritters
• Furikake and Lemon Shishito Peppers
• Sautéed Green Beans with Furikake
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Healthy Turkey Chili
• Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip