Elote, AKA "Mexican street corn", is one of our all-time favorite street foods to recreate at home. Its sweet, spicy, fire-roasted deliciousness is just SO hard to resist! That being said, you will have no trouble believing me when I say that these Mexican Street Corn Sheet Pan Nachos are the latest and quite possibly the greatest dish to come out of our kitchen.
The recipe and post for these Mexican Street Corn Nachos was made in partnership with Pompeian. We received product and compensation in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. If we don’t love it, you don’t hear about it. Thanks for your continued support!
What Is Mexican street corn?
Traditionally, Elote is a dish that is made up of a cooked corn on the cob, slathered in a mixture of mayo, crema, and chili powder. Then the spicy cob is sprinkled with cheese. It is often called Mexican street corn because it's a popular snack sold by vendors both on the streets and at festivals in Mexico. The corn on the cob is cooked — boiled or roasted — and served either on the cob or a stick. Also, just so you are completely in the know about all things to do with Mexican street corn, since we are serving sheet pan nachos we are using corn kernels that have been removed from the cob which technically means they are called, esquites.
We strayed from the OG Elote equation for these nachos a little bit, but our new variation of the classic is every bit as crave worthy as the original.
- For easy cleaning, we turn this dish into sheet pan nachos.
- Instead of roasting our own corn on the cob, I opted for frozen, fire roasted corn instead. This one little swap makes this recipe totally doable for busy weeknights.
- We added a bit of protein to these nachos by adding black beans to the mix.
- We substituted a roasted poblano cashew cream for the more traditional mayonnaise/crema.
- We layered citrus pickled onions on top of it all, because we simply just cannot quit adding them to everything these days.
How to make Citrus Pickled Onions:
Say hello to our go-to taco topping!! These citrus pickled onions only require 2 ingredients and about 20 minutes for slightly tangy pickles with a bit of bite. If left overnight in the fridge these pickles will become incredibly tender and will turn bright pink!
Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to thinly slice 1 peeled red onion. Layer the onion slices in a jar then cover with freshly squeezed lime juice. Place a lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving or store in the fridge up to 1 week.
No matter where you live, street food has been a topic that has been trending in the kitchen for quite some time and we are so excited to have partnered with Pompeian to recreate these sheet pan nachos in our own kitchen. But, now I am curious, what is your favorite kind of street food and do you make your own version of it at home? Leave us a comment telling us all the details!
Looking for more Mexican Street Corn recipes? Check out some of our other Elote inspired creations!
Grilled Mexican Street Corn Soup
Grilled Mexican Street Corn Pizza
Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad in Grilled Avocado Boats
Mexican Street Corn Salad
If you’ve tried this Mexican Street Corn Sheet Pan Nachos Recipe, I would be so grateful if you would rate it. Let me know what you think in the comments below. I just love hearing from you, and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours!
PrintMexican Street Corn Nachos
The toppings and roasted poblano cashew cream that we use in this recipe are also great on top of greens instead of nachos making one heck of a salad! Just use the cashew cream like you would salad dressing and if you need to thin it out a bit to reach dressing consistency I suggest using vegetable broth.
Don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think about these Mexican Street Corn Nachos in the comments below. I just love hearing from you. Your reviews/comments really help other people that visit This Mess is Ours!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Broiled
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
For the nachos
Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
2 (5-ounce bags) tortilla chips, we use an assortment of flavors/textures
1 ½ cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed, see note
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ of 1 (12-ounce) wheel of Cotija cheese, see note
To serve:
¼ cup citrus pickled onions, see note
¼ cup pickled jalapeno slices
1 batch roasted poblano cashew cream, see notes for recipe
1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
½ of a jalapeno, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro leaves
½ tablespoon aleppo pepper flakes, or red pepper flakes
Instructions
Preheat the broiler to hi with a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray a large sheet pan with Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray.
Layer the chips on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle the corn and black beans over the top. Spray the top of the nachos and vegetables with a quick spray of the Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray then spread the cheese evenly over top of the nachos.
Keeping your eye on the oven, because the broiling process happens very fast, broil the nachos for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are warmed through, the cheese is melty, and the chips are starting to turn golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven immediately.
Garnish the nachos with a drizzle of Poblano Cashew Cream, pickled onions, pickled jalapeño, fresh jalapeño slices, avocado slices, cilantro leaves, and aleppo peppers flakes.
Notes
Don't have fire roasted corn?
No worries, you can use regular frozen corn that has been thawed. Or you can grill or roast fresh corn on the cob and then remove the kernels from the cobs.
Don't like Cotija cheese or can't find it?
You can use a shredded Mexican cheese blend or Jalapeño Jack cheese instead.
Roasted Poblano Cashew Cream
1.5 cups raw unsalted cashews (soaked 30 minutes, if you think about it)
¾ cup water
1 roasted poblano pepper
1 small garlic clove minced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup minced onion
¾ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt, to taste (about 1 tsp.)
Roast the poblano pepper. Place under the broiler until blistered on all sides. (time will vary depending on the heat of your broiler). When it’s fully blistered, remove and place in a bowl and cover (not touching) with plastic wrap or a towel. Set aside for 15 minutes or so, until it’s cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, slide off the skin and remove the stem and seeds.
Blend the roasted poblano and remaining ingredients in a high powered blender. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.
How to make citrus pickled onions:
Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to thinly slice 1 peeled red onion. Layer the onion slices in a jar then cover with freshly squeezed lime juice. Place a lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving or store in the fridge up to 1 week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 - 2 heaping scoops
- Calories: 618
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 29.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 66.9 g
- Protein: 23.8 g
- Cholesterol: 23.2 mg
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What are the health benefits of black beans?
Black beans are filled with nutrients such as calcium and magnesium which help keep bones strong and healthy, making them a great alternative to meat for vegetarians. Combined with the low sodium content, these nutrients also help to lower blood pressure. The high amount of fiber and low amount of cholesterol in black beans help to manage diabetes and improve heart health.
Click here for more information on the health benefits of black beans.
Kirstie says
This looks and sounds incredible - can't wait to make it!!!
thismess says
Thank you so much Kirstie! I hope you love these nachos as much as we do.
Jamie says
Looks great! Am I missing the note on the citrus pickled onions?
thismess says
Thanks Jamie! The instructions for the citrus pickled onions are in the blog post above the recipe, but I just added them to the recipe card as well to make them easier to find. 🙂
Hanne says
Street corn! I remember wandering the alleys of the Grande Bazaar in Istanbul following an enticing scent that seemed one part roasted chestnuts one part mystery. I found a little man huddled over a little brazier roasting sweet corn. I must have eaten three (actually four) before I left him.
I will be adding this gorgeous salad to my summer pot luck repertoire. Thank you!
thismess says
Oh what a wonderful memory!! I hope you love these nachos and that they are as delicious as the street corn you remember from Istanbul!