These elote Mexican street corn nachos are a fun twist on a Mexican nachos recipe. These nachos with zesty cheese sauce and unique nacho toppings is a real treat for the taste buds. Try these and you will agree that elote and nacho chips are a winning combination!
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Elote and nacho chips are a Mexican or at least Tex-Mex combination and you will love how the savoury taste of the tortilla chips pairs with the succulent, sweet corn flavour.
Whether you are looking for a new twist on the Mexican nachos recipe or wondering how to take your sauce for nachos to the next level, this recipe is definitely worth making.
Nachos with zesty cheese sauce are my comfort food go-to. The crunch of tortilla chips with the comforting gooiness of cheese sauce for nachos and all the other tasty ingredients come together for the perfect south of the border treat. If you’re in the mood for a taste of Mexico, try this elote Mexican street corn nachos recipe.
What is Elote?
Unless you’re already familiar with this tasty treat, you might be wondering what elote is. Pronounced eh-LOH-tay, this is another name for Mexican street corn.
It’s one of the best parts of this elote Mexican street corn nachos recipe. Elote is grilled corn with a creamy sauce paired with cheese, lime and chilli powder. It is the holy grail of Mexican street food for corn fans!
Elote is often shucked from the cob in Mexico and served in a little cup. Corn in Mexico dates back to the indigenous people. Grill it and serve it in a cup and you have a delicious portable snack!
Tasty Elote and Nacho Chips Ingredients
Tortilla chips hold up well in nachos. You don’t want thin chips that break in half when you pick one up. Thick corn tortilla chips are ideal here. As for the corn, it’s your choice.
For authentic elote and nacho chips, you can grill corn on the cob then slice the kernels off. In more of a hurry to make this Mexican nachos recipe? Frozen or canned corn works too.
Mexican cream might not be available where you live. Mixing a little milk into sour cream makes a passable imitation though. The seasonings in elote Mexican street corn nachos include chilli, cumin, garlic, onion, as well as Tajin.
What’s Tajin? Well it’s an incredible Mexican seasoning comprising chilli, lime and salt. It’s just as amazing on fresh mango or strawberries as it is with elote and nacho chips. If your local store doesn’t carry it, it’s available online.
How to Make Nachos with Zesty Cheese Sauce
The cheese sauce is one of the stars of this dish along with the corn. So how come this cheese sauce is so special? Well, it’s made by combining Velveeta with Oaxaca cheese.
Velveeta is a handy melted cheese while Oaxaca is authentic Mexican cheese. It makes a wonderful sauce for nachos. And it goes beautifully with your choice of unique nachos toppings.
Now nachos vary from the most basic kind to gourmet recipes. Basic nachos would pretty much be tortilla chips with cheese sauce and salsa. Gourmet nachos have more ingredients and offer a more delicious experience!
There are two, or perhaps three, components to this elote Mexican street corn nachos, depending on the corn you’re using. If you want to char-grill your own corn, that’s an extra step. But it’s so worth it!
The cheese sauce for nachos I used was a creamy combination of butter, flour, milk, jalapeno, and spices. You can prepare this first then keep it warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
As for the nachos and unique nacho toppings, start with the tortilla chips. Lay them out on a cookie sheet and bake them a little until they’re golden. After that you can add the cheesy sauce for nachos and then the unique nachos toppings.
Fresh cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and cotija cheese finish the dish off perfectly. Serve these nachos with zesty cheese sauce warm. This is a dish for sharing! But don’t invite too many friends to share – these elote Mexican street corn nachos disappear so fast!
Mexican Nachos Recipe Variations
There are hundreds of nacho recipe combinations out there, so of course you can decide on your own toppings.
There are plenty of yummy toppings for nachos. Elote is always good. You could also add shredded cooked chicken or steak for some meatiness. Chopped fresh tomatoes and/or avocado slices (or guacamole) would work too.
If you like these nachos with zesty cheese sauce, you might also like Crunchy Beef Tortilla Folded Wrap – Tik Tok Recipe, Mexican Elote Street Corn Kale Salad with Spicy Yogurt Lime or Mexican Street-Style Corn.
Elote Mexican Street Corn Nachos with Zesty Cheese Sauce Recipe
Elote Mexican Street Corn Nachos with Zesty Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 Tbsp . Flour
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 Tsp. cumin
- 1/2 Tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 Tsp. onion powder
- 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
- 3 Cup Oaxaca cheese or American cheese
- 1 Cup Velveeta cheese
Nachos
- 14 Oz tortilla chips
- 1 Can corn 15 Oz roasted corn
- 2 Cups cheese sauce (above)
- 1/2 Cup Mexican cream
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 3 Tbsp. cilantro
- 2 limes 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
- 1 Dash Tajin or chili powder or smoked paprika
- 1/4 Cup Cotija cheese optional for garnish
Instructions
Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in the sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour till combined.
- Whisk in the milk till smooth and add the spices and the jalapeno.
- Cook until thick and bubbly.
- Add the cheeses and melt. Turn off the burner and place a lid on the pan to keep warm until ready to use.
Nachos
- Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F.
- Lay the tortilla chips out on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes until slightly browned.
- Heat the corn in the microwave or on the grill or in a pan.
- Spoon cheese dip over the chips.
- Layer the corn on the chips. Drizzle with cream and sprinkle with jalapeno pieces, cilantro and tajin.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the nachos and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This is a lovely dish for sharing. Pair elote nachos with your favourite south of the border cocktail and you have all the makings of a fun evening!
If you are a fan of Mexican-style appetizers, you might also like this Slow Cooker Spicy Corn and Jalapeño Cheese Dip.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
oh this looks tasty! love the corn
I use Mexican Street Corn leftovers all the time on my nachos. I don’t know why I didn’t think to make them one of the main parts of my nachos! These look delicious and I’m sure taste fabulous. YUM
What a gorgeous authentic recipe! I’d never heard of elote before, and I need to try it!
I love nachos, and this is a wonderful twist! I can’t wait to make this one weekend for a movie night!
I LOVE Mexican street corn! Would have not thought about pairing with Nachos. Looks delish!