Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn

Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn turns ordinary pressure cooker corn on the cob into an incredible summer side dish by grilling it and topping it with mayonnaise, sour cream and Cotija cheese.

This easy recipe for Mexican street corn (elote) lets you cook it first in the Instant Pot and finish it off with just a few minutes on the grill.  So even if it’s blazing hot outside, you can still enjoy this delicious summer side dish without spending a long time over a hot grill!

Some of you lucky folks get to enjoy perfect grilling weather all summer long. And, some of us do not!  See, I live in the Valley of the Sun, which means that it might very well be 115 degrees outside in the summer. And honestly, that’s just a tad too warm to be standing over a hot grill!

But, thanks to the Instant Pot, you can cut down on the grilling time by cooking summer favorites like Mexican street corn, ribs and other goodies first in the pressure cooker.

What is Mexican Street Corn?

Mexican street corn is basically corn on the cob that is cooked over an open flame and topped with Mexican crema or mayo, Cotija cheese and chili powder and maybe a squirt of lime juice. You can find this kicked-up corn on the cob from food trucks, street vendors, fairs and restaurants.

Actually, I’ve had people tell me about several variations on Mexican street corn recipes. Some add butter, some skip the mayo, and some skip the lime juice. This may not be the most authentic recipe for Mexican street corn, but it definitely works for us!

How to make Instant Pot Mexican street corn

You start out by cooking corn on the cob in the Instant Pot. I just pile as many ears of corn as we need on the trivet inside the pressure cooker. When I make regular Instant Pot corn on the cob, I add butter before cooking, and I do the same thing for street corn.

I like to cook the corn for 2 minutes. If you prefer softer corn on the cob, cook it for 3 minutes.

When the corn is done, just pop it on the grill for a couple of minutes to get extra flavor and those fabulous char marks.

Then, slather the corn with a mix of sour cream and mayo, and top it with crumbled Cotija cheese and a dash of smoked paprika or chili powder. You can add a little lime juice and cilantro, as well.

Cotija cheese tends to be slightly salty, so I didn’t any extra salt. People can definitely add salt if they want to!

What can you substitute for Cotija cheese?

If you can’t find Cotija cheese, you can use feta or Parmesan cheese, instead. You might also try queso fresco.

Recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn

5 from 3 votes

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Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn

Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn is corn on the cob made in the pressure cooker and then grilled for a few minutes for extra flavor. Top it with mayo, sour cream and cotija cheese for a delicious summer side dish that!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword instant pot mexican street corn

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Author Dee

Ingredients

• 6 medium corn on the cob ears husks removed and rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• chopped cilantro, optional

Instructions

1. Place the trivet in the Instant Pot, and add the water
2. Place the corn on the trivet, and add the butter on top of the corn
3. Cover, turn valve to sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 2 minutes

4. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and sour cream together, and set aside

5. When pot beeps, and cook time is over, turn valve to venting position for a quick release

6. When pin drops, open lid, and remove corn to a large platter 

7. Place corn on hot grill, and rotate to get char marks on all sides

8. Remove from grill, slather with mayo-sour cream mixture, and top with cotija cheese, smoked paprika and cilantro, if desired,  before serving

Recipe Notes

Recipe was made in 6-quart Instant Pot electric pressure cooker

Can substitute feta or Parmesan cheese for cotija and cayenne pepper or chili powder for smoked paprika

My family loves this easy Instant Pot Mexican Street Corn. I hope you like it as much as we do!