A hearty vegetarian option for a weeknight meal, these loaded Mexican street corn quesadillas with mucho cheese can be prepped and plated in just 20 -minutes.
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You may have noticed that Mexican street corn is all the rage right now and if you’ve tried it you understand why.
For those of you who don’t know, Mexican street corn aka elote is a popular Mexican street food consisting of corn on the cob smothered in mayonnaise, lime juice, Cotija cheese, salt, and chili powder.
With hints of salt, lime, smoke, and sweetness (from the corn), it is fantastically delicious in and of itself. BUT piled on a cheesy quesadilla it is even more AMAZING.
And let me tell you, these babies are loaded. They are thick and hearty and filling and comforting which makes them great for dinner (and then bed shortly after).
Did I mention how easy they are to prepare? You can prep and plate ’em in less than 20 minutes, which is another reason they are a great option for dinner, in particular a weeknight dinner. Little effort + deliciousness. You can’t beat that!!
Ingredients (+ notes & substitutions)
- Cream cheese: Softened to room temp.
- Mayonnaise: For the Mexican street corn and the chipotle cream sauce.
- Lime juice: I recommend fresh squeezed if possible. One lime should yield plenty of juice for both the Mexican street corn and the chipotle cream sauce.
- Chipotle powder: Or chili powder.
- Corn: You may have noticed I’m all about using fresh ingredients when possible and it’s no different this time around. If you are able, boil two cobs of corn and cut off the kernels. Each cob should yield approximately 3/4 cup of corn, so you would need two cobs to prepare this recipe. Alternately you could use drained canned corn or frozen corn that has been thawed and drained.
- Jalapeno or serrano pepper: If you want more heat a serrano is obviously the way to go. Leaving the seeds and membranes intact will also provide more heat.
- Garlic
- Cotija cheese: Cotija is a crumbly Mexican cow’s milk cheese that is traditionally used in elote (Mexican street corn). It’s firm, salty, and does not melt, although it does soften with heat. It can be found in the cheese section, possibly the specialty cheese section, of the grocery store. Feta would be an adequate substitution, however, to stay true to elote I highly recommend using Cotija.
- Sour cream
- Burrito size flour tortillas: Approximately 9-10 inches.
- Shredded cheese: Chihuahua, Monterey jack, or pepper Jack cheese.
- Optional toppings: Chopped cilantro is a must in my opinion. Other options include: sliced avocado or guacamole and crumbled Cotija cheese.
How to make Mexican street corn quesadillas with creamy chipotle sauce (+ tips)
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, three tablespoons of mayonnaise, two teaspoons of lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder.
Stir in the corn, jalapeno/serrano, garlic, and the Cotija cheese. Set aside.
Next prepare the chipotle cream sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one teaspoon of lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder and set it aside.
Heat a skillet or griddle to medium heat.
Lay the tortillas out flat and spread 1/2 cup of the Mexican street corn mixture on half of the tortilla. Layer with 1/2 cup shredded cheese and fold it over.
Spray the skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Place two of the quesadillas in the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and repeat with the remaining two quesadillas.
Drizzle the quesadillas with one tablespoon of chipotle cream sauce, top with desired toppings, and serve warm.
Storage
I recommend only preparing as many quesadillas as you plan to serve in one sitting, although they can be prepared and refrigerated for up to four days. Refrigerate Mexican street corn in an airtight container for up to five days.
Recommended Products
What to serve with these quesadillas:
- Cilantro Lime Rice: Simple to prepare in just 30-minutes, the bright herby flavor of cilantro lime white rice perfectly compliments a variety of Mexican dishes including enchiladas and tacos. Naturally gluten-free and vegan.
- Cilantro Lime Cucumber Salad: Light and refreshing, this simple Mexican-style cilantro lime cucumber salad is perfect for summer. This healthy side dish is a great accompaniment to grilled salmon, chicken, and more. Naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and keto-friendly.
- Salsa Verde Pinto Beans: Slightly spicy and full of flavor these simple salsa verde pinto beans bathe in a rich and creamy broth that will leave you longing for more. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
If you make these Mexican street corn quesadillas with chipotle cream I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light, and happy cooking ya’ll ♥
Mexican Street Corn Quesadillas w/ Creamy Chipotle Sauce
A hearty vegetarian option for a weeknight meal, these loaded Mexican street corn quesadillas with mucho cheese can be prepped and plated in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
- 3 teaspoons lime juice, about one lime, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, can sub for chili powder, divided
- 1 1/2 cups corn (see notes)
- 1 small jalapeno or serrano pepper, destemmed, seeds and membranes removed (optional), and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons crumbled Cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 9"-10" flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack cheese
- Optional toppings: Cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole, crumbled Cotija cheese.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, three tablespoons mayonnaise, two teaspoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder.
- Stir in the corn, jalapeno/serrano, garlic, and Cotija cheese. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, two tablespoons mayonnaise, one teaspoon lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet or griddle to medium heat.
- Lay the tortillas out flat and spread 1/2 cup of the Mexican street corn mixture on half of the tortilla. Layer with 1/2 cup shredded cheese and fold over.
- Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place two quesadillas in the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining two quesadillas.
- Drizzle quesadillas with one tablespoon chipotle cream sauce, top with desired toppings, and serve warm.
Storage: I recommend only preparing as many quesadillas as you plan to serve in one sitting, although they can be prepared and refrigerated for up to four days. Refrigerate Mexican street corn in an airtight container for up to five days.
Notes
- A corn cob yields approximately 3/4 cup of corn, so you would need two cobs to prepare this recipe. Alternately you could use drained canned corn or frozen corn that has been thawed and drained.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 quesadillaAmount Per Serving: Calories: 1279Total Fat: 75gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 1721mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 10gSugar: 7gProtein: 49g
The nutritional information provided is computer generated. It is only an estimate and intended for informational purposes only. Nutrition details may vary depending on various factors such as origin, freshness of ingredients, etc